Virtual Reality
by Ziven
Summary: When Kaiba discovers JessicaOC in Noah's world, it's obvious that she knows more about the virtual world than anyoneand the most about Noah, and his identity as well. What connection does she have to Noah and the Kaiba brothers, and can she help them?
1. Prey

Virtual Reality  
  
"Noah!" Seto Kaiba cried out into the darkness. "Stop with your feeble challengers and illusions! Why don't you stop being a coward and face me?"  
  
He looked around. Nothing. Only trees and the dirt path he was following, and nothing else. He didn't understand; he had done nothing to this Noah character, he wasn't even aware that he knew him, and was fighting to keep his body and mind intact.  
  
*~*  
  
"I'll face you when the time is right, Seto Kaiba, and not a minute before," Noah said, leaning back comfortably in his chair, looking at one of his many computer screens-the one that happened to display the Kaiba brothers. He flashed a mischievous smile, thinking of what he had in store for the two. If things went according to plan, he wouldn't have to face Seto Kaiba-he would just watch as the young CEO was helplessly destroyed. For although they were in a virtual world, some of his surprises were very real.  
  
*~*  
  
"Look, big brother!" Mokuba cried. Kaiba looked ahead and saw an oak door. "Should we take it?" Mokuba trusted his older brother and was sure he'd lead the both of them in the right direction, and to safety. Sure, many things had happened in the past, as Noah had shown them through simulations, but Mokuba had never thought to leave his brother, since everything he had done was ultimately for his own interest.  
  
Kaiba wasted no time hesitating, beckoning Mokuba to follow him through the door. "Yes. We can't leave this place by running, can we?"  
  
Mokuba gave an answering shake of his head, watching the door as Kaiba opened it. They both looked into the opening, hoping to gaze at a preview of what they would be facing, but of course, like all the other doors they had gone through, all their eyes could see was white.  
  
Kaiba, never missing a beat, fearless stepped through, followed by his forever-faithful brother.  
  
*~*  
  
"I'm glad we got to them before they did something drastic," Yuugi said, "I don't know what I would have done if one of their minds had been lost." While saying this to Anzu, he acknowledged to himself that he was right. He was lucky to have gotten to Honda, Otogi and Shizuka's duel with Nesbit (that was the guy they dueled, right?) before anyone had gotten hurt. Almost constantly through the duel he had to listen to Honda's crazy talk about sacrificing his life points for Shizuka. Luckily, they hadn't needed to take such extreme measures.  
  
Now with the gang back together, and the Big Five member defeated, Yuugi knew they had to search for Kaiba and Mokuba. As much as he hated to admit it, Kaiba's survival would be needed to complete the Battle City Finals, which they all knew would determine the fate of the world. Besides, the blimp they traveled in was Kaiba's. Surely his staff wouldn't leave him behind?  
  
"C'mon guys, we have to find Kaiba, so we can get out of this place." Yuugi announced to everyone.  
  
"Maybe we should go through the tower?" Otogi said.  
  
It was the best idea Yuugi heard from them, and decided that it was the best thing to do. He had discovered that Noah manipulated all the doors in the virtual world, and figured that any way they went would lead to the same place, depending on where they were wanted to go.  
  
He walked to the door on the opposite side of the dueling arena, and slowly pushed it open.  
  
*~*  
  
Kaiba looked around him. There had been no change. His surroundings were the same as before he went through the door: Trees, darkness, a beaten trail, and nothing else. Were they going in circles?  
  
A roar sounded in the distance-one that reminded Kaiba of duel monsters. Maybe Yuugi and his pathetic friends were nearby and engaged in a duel? He hoped he wouldn't be forced to encounter them.  
  
Mokuba heard the roar and cringed slightly. "S-Seto,what do-"  
  
"Kaibas aren't cowards, Mokuba," Kaiba said, interrupting his younger brother and forcing him into silence. "Lets go." He had decided he'd take a different approach to finding Noah, and led Mokuba through the trees on his right.  
  
*~*  
  
Noah laughed wickedly in his seat, his eyes never leaving the screen that displayed Seto and his brother. "Somehow you've managed to be all too predictable, Seto Kaiba. As many traps as you've set for me, I've only set two-and you've fallen into both of them, even without my help. We shall soon see who you really are Seto Kaiba, under all the limos, fancy tournaments, and equipment. Will you survive, Seto Kaiba, without the might of KaibaCorp behind you?" 


	2. In the Dark

Virtual Reality  
  
Part two:  
  
"Seto, what do think Noah's reason is for keeping us here?" Mokuba said. Kaiba knew his younger brother was concerned about their situation; Mokuba always talked too much when concerned—or too much in Kaiba's train of thought, which was pretty much all that was unnecessary to be said.  
  
"I don't know, but I will make sure that he pays for what he's done to us, even if I have to execute him with my own hands," Kaiba responded.  
  
Mokuba was silent. Sometimes he wished his big brother wouldn't say things like that so much. It was hard to have a decent conversation with someone who said such things. And it didn't use to be that way; he used to enjoy himself when he was with Seto, before the entire problem started with Yuugi, Pegasus and the like. Those situations brought out the worst in his older brother and long time friend, and that bad attitude seemed to stick a lot recently—infact, ever since duelist kingdom. But then again, not everyone would be very happy and friendly if they had their soul trapped in a card.  
  
Still, he missed the old Seto, the one that protected him in the orphanage, and the one that had time for him. Sure, Seto still looked out for him, but it was constantly hard to tell whether he was doing it so he could have an heir to the KaibaCorp throne, or because he had a brother whom he truly cared about. Mokuba, meditating his brother's intentions, followed aimlessly behind his older brother.  
  
"Seto, are you sure—" Mokuba started, but stopped in mid-sentence, not wanting to trigger another mean comment from Kaiba, who hadn't even noticed his younger brother attempt to speak to him, since he was wrestling trees and vines. Mokuba then noticed that the forest had gotten thicker. Seto noticed it too, and knew it was the work of Noah.  
  
Having cleared a suitable path, he beckoned to his brother, "Come on, Mokuba."  
  
Mokuba, who had just noticed that his big brother spent about three minutes to clear a path for him (for he knew that was what Seto did, though he also knew that Seto wouldn't admit it); all doubts about his brother's intentions vanished in that moment. He gave Seto a small smiled before following behind him, and the smile was returned.  
  
*~*  
  
Yuugi and his friends had been led (that's what Yuugi called it; being led, since they only went where Noah wanted them to go) through the building where the duel with Nesbit had taken place, and were now by a stream that Honda and the others recognized. From there, they decided to follow the stream and see where it would take them. They followed it for the entire day, and by nightfall, Yuugi wanted to scream at the top of his lungs. Was Noah leading them around in circles or something?  
  
"Yuug', maybe we should rest for the night, ne?" Jounouchi said. Everyone's dog tired."  
  
It was then that he realized that Shizuka was sleeping on Jou's arm. He nodded to Jounouchi, who sat on the ground, legs crossed Indian style, leaning Shizuka against him. Yuugi thought it was a lovely sight, and said to the others, "We're resting here tonight."  
  
He suddenly noticed that someone was missing. "Where's Otogi?" he demanded.  
  
"He was here a second ago," Honda said tiredly.  
  
"Do you want us to look for him?" Anzu asked.  
  
Yuugi shook his head. "No, we don't need anyone else getting lost."  
  
"Who's lost?" said a voice from behind Yuugi. He turned.  
  
"Otogi, where were you?"  
  
Otogi held up several pieces of wood. "Firewood. You don't expect us to keep going, do you?"  
  
Yuugi smiled wearily, glad that he had found his friend. He sat next to Jounouchi, who was asleep already, and watched Otogi and Honda set up the fire. Soon it was going, and everyone was sitting around it…everyone except Anzu. She seemed to be staring into the distance, as if trying to see something. Yuugi had noticed she had begun doing that a lot lately, but he had never disturbed her, as long as she stayed close to them.  
  
"Anzu?" he called. She kept staring. He called again, and still got no response. Maybe she was meditating or something. Besides, she was becoming a dancer. Still, he watched her until she finally went to sleep. Then, Yuugi, his mind still pondering a million questions, went to sleep as well.  
  
*~*  
  
"Yuugi, you fool!" Marik exclaimed. He was sitting in his room in the blimp, not having left like Yuugi, his pathetic friends, and the Kaibas. He had sensed danger with his millennium rod, and decided not to be stupid enough to walk into it like the others.  
  
He had been exploring the blimp, probing each room and its contents, then trying to guess whom the belonged to; it was a game for him, going through other people's things, and with the help of the millennium rod, he was always right. So, of course, he got bored after a while.  
  
Remembering that he still had control over Anzu with his millennium rod, he decided to use it. The first time, it was out of curiosity, just to see if Yuugi was still alive; and indeed he was (unfortunately, Marik thought, it would've made things much easier), and so were his friends. He was surprised at how much information on the virtual world he could get by simply making Anzu ask. It was apparent that they were just learning about it, like he, but that they also had some sort of understanding as well. He had learned about a Noah character, who seemed to be after Kaiba. Marik had no problem with it, as long as he could still obtain Obilisk the Tormentor afterwards.  
  
"Have you not noticed the lapses of silence your friend has been taking? Or have you just forgotten that Anzu had not broken my hold over her like Jounouchi?" Marik cackled evilly, having found at least one guaranteed advantage over Yuugi. "When Noah destroys Kaiba, he will be weak and weary, and then I will use Anzu to take Obilisk!"  
  
*~*  
  
Noah frowned. He could not understand why Mokuba stuck by Seto. He never could understand. When Seto treated everyone he knew like they were his servants, including the foolish boy himself. What did Mokuba see in the elder Kaiba? There was no such thing as loyalty in the world, and Noah knew that well. Surely there was something in it for Mokuba? Well, he was inheriting one of the richest companies in the world.  
  
He put those thoughts out of his mind. Why should he care? Mokuba's so called 'loyalty' would only prove to be a curse, because he would go down with big brother Seto Kaiba. And unless Mokuba had a sudden change of heart he'd be going soon.  
  
Noah turned his attention to the screen displaying the Kaiba brothers once more, and smiled. They were lost, and though Seto looked expressionless, Noah was sure he was thinking along the same lines. He watched as they made camp for the night. They wouldn't last much longer in this world, he'd make sure of it.  
  
I've waited long enough, he thought. No more mercy. Noah turned away from the screens, and a large button appeared before him. His finger was centimeters from the button when he heard static from his computers, static he was not supposed to hear. He faced his screens again, only to see a single face displayed on all the screens, a girl with black hair and blue eyes.  
  
Noah's eyes narrowed. "What have you done to my equipment? I thought you were dead!"  
  
The girl, who had some obvious scars on her face, smirked. "It seems that you've thought wrong. It'll take more than your traps to get rid of me, and I'm coming for you. I'm not the weak girl you thought I was. I know quite a bit about technology, thank you, and I think the fact that I've hacked into your system proves that. However, I still doubt that you'll give me a chance, so I'm leaving you something to remember me bye. In approximately five seconds, my system will override yours, temporarily shutting it down. And don't worry…"  
  
Noah hastily pushed the red button behind him, his eyes still on the screens. He would have to rid of this pest after his computer system rebooted. It took him years to design his computer, to build it up with special features, each controlling the world in which it was located.  
  
He smiled wickedly at the girl on his screens. "My dear Jessica, you don't think I have backup systems for my computers?"  
  
Jessica smiled smugly. "Yes, I did, and my override—which is taking place right now—has targeted your back systems as well. All five of them, as a matter of fact." She watched as the smiled faded from Noah's face.  
  
"You imbecile! You dare tamper with the works of this world? You pest, I will delete you if it's the last thing I do, if my name isn't Noah!"  
  
"Your name isn't Noah, actually."  
  
"It is the name is currently possess. We shall say nothing more."  
  
"No. You shall say nothing more. I've caught on to your plan to kill Seto Kaiba and his brother, and I won't allow it. He rightfully took KaibaCorp, and I watched him do it. You're just a sore loser. Always have been. And a discriminator against women, if I might add."  
  
"Women don't belong in the field of technology, and I imprisoned you here to keep you out of my affairs."  
  
"Looks like that didn't work. I hope you enjoy your time in the dark."  
  
It was then he realized that without the lights of his computer screens, he was in the dark. Just then, Jessica's face vanished from the screens. Noah didn't bother to try to turn them on again for light, but instead set to work his computers. When he rebooted the system, that pest was in for it…  
  
He was upset that he couldn't watch Kaiba demise, but glad that he at least activated his trap. Luckily, he pressed the button before the override. Hopefully, he thought with a smile, it would be enough to get rid of the pest, too. 


	3. darkness and confusion

I know it's really short, but I didn't want to keep everyone waiting ; )  
  
Virtual Reality  
  
Part three: darkness and confusion  
  
Kaiba and Mokuba had made camp in the forest they had been walking in, much to Kaiba's displeasure. He was seething with rage at Noah, and wanted to wait no longer in finding him. However, he had to acknowledge his brother's fatigue. He would never purposely do anything to hurt Mokuba, and driving him while he needed to rest, may inadvertently do that, for which he knew he would never forgive himself.  
  
But he knew something was wrong when he went to sleep the night before, other that he fact that he actually went to sleep instead of watching Mokuba.  
  
That something was evident when he woke up and it was dark. He knew he may have woken up early, he always had. But when he saw Mokuba rebuilding the fire, instinct took him over.  
  
"Something's wrong."  
  
Mokuba looked up at him, a concerned look on his face. "Yeah, it's almost ten and pitch black. What do you think happened, Seto?"  
  
Kaiba pondered this deeply, and Mokuba, seeing him in thought, continued building the fire, saying nothing. In two minutes time, Kaiba's head shot up, and he smiled triumphantly. "His computer."  
  
Mokuba looked toward him, showing his brother that he was listening.  
  
"His computer. He has to have one to control he happenings in this world. I had a Master computer in my KaibaCorp lab to control and monitor the actions of my virtual world. Since his computer must have the same affect, someone must have shut it down. But I wouldn't put it past Noah, though. He's probably fixing it right now." Kaiba smiled with childlike glee. "We have to take avantage of this. As of now, Noah can see nothing, hear nothing, do nothing, without his computer system.  
  
"Seto, do you think Yuugi and friends go to Noah before us, and that's why his computer is down? Do you think we can go home now?" Mokuba asked hopefully.  
  
That stopped Kaiba in his tracks.Yuugi, get t Noah before he? Not likely. He shook the question off. " I don't think that Noah would be defeated that easily."  
  
"Should we stay, or try to find Noah?" Mokuba looked at his brother with those loyal eyes and obedient eyes. Kaiba loved when Mokuba looked at him like that. Like he trusted him, like he would follow him to the edge of the earth, if he was so led.  
  
But that reminded him that he had a younger brother whose health he could not, would not risk. "We stay," he said, sinking into deep thought, trying to come up with some other plan of action, one that wouldn't endanger his brother.  
  
*~*  
  
Yuugi was confused; had he woken up early? He wasn't usually a morning person, and yet it was dark. He looked around, and saw shadows stirring. he thought he should re-build the fire, lest someone wandered off.  
  
"Is anyone awake?" he whispered into the darkness.  
  
"Yuugi, where are you? I can't see. Why is it so dark?" Shizuka's voice sounded on his left.  
  
"I don't know. I'll try to build a fire. Could you check Jou's pocket for matches?"He crawled toward the voice, and reached out, grabbing a hand. He felt Shizuka jump.  
  
"It's just me. I want you to know where I am. He said comfortingly. After Shizuka looked for and found some matches, Yuugi managed to get a fire going. He pondered the sudden absence of sun. The others woke in their own time.  
  
"Maybe it's really early?" Jou said while he stretched.  
  
"No, big brother, my watch has about ten o'clock. It shouldn't be this dark.  
  
"Maybe Noah's doing something" Otogi offered. "Another surprise? Another attempt to split us up.  
  
Somehow, that didn't sound right to Yuugi. Noah was usually up front with his plans. Maybe Kaiba had gotten to him? No, he didn't think that made sense either. He wouldn't leave them, not when he still had Slifer.  
  
There was silence all around the campfire, as they all tried to answer one question: What had happened? 


	4. Walking after hours

Virtual Reality  
  
Part four: Who is that?  
  
Mokuba's head lifted slowly in fear. "What... what was that, Seto?" he asked hesitantly. He had just heard a loud roar, the same one he had heard the day before, but it sounded much closer. A lot closer.  
  
Seto didn't seem worried. "This virtual world has been temporarily shut down. Some of the things here may have gone haywire without Noah's directions. It's to be expected. We'll be fine, don't worry—"  
  
CRASH!  
  
"What the—"  
  
CRASH!  
  
The ground shook with a tremendous roar. "Seto!" Mokuba yelled, horrified. "Behind you, look out!"  
  
Kaiba turned around just in time to see a tree falling—in his direction. He leaped as far as could (and landed on his feet, courtesy of the Kaiba family grace) and covered his ears as the tree fell.  
  
CRASH!  
  
Then there was silence. As the dust cleared, Kaiba realized that their small fire had been extinguished by the fallen tree, and he couldn't see Mokuba.  
  
"Mokuba!" he called. No answer. "Mokuba!" he called again. Silence. Kaiba sudden remembered that Mokuba had been sitting by the fire when he shouted for him, but—  
  
No. it couldn't have...he couldn't be...  
  
"Seto?" he heard a faint voice. Mokuba!  
  
Then he heard a giggle. Mokuba could always laugh in the face of danger...when he wasn't scared out of his wits. "I'm fine, Seto, but are you okay?"  
  
"I'm alive." Kaiba said.  
  
"Not you Seto, you're always okay."  
  
Kaiba was bewildered. Who could Mokuba be talking to? "Now isn't the time for games Mokuba. It's too dark to see; tell me where you are."  
  
"I'm not joking, Seto!"  
  
He heard thudding sounds, like someone being hit. "Mokuba Yurosaki Kaiba, come out here right now (A/N: I made up the middle name = ) I liked how it sounded. Reminds me of something I can't remember...)!"  
  
Kaiba heard the strains of a female voice. "Why—won't—you—die?!" What the hell was going on?  
  
"Seto I'm over here, on the other side of the tree, come on."  
  
Kaiba quite easily found his way over the tree, ears catching everything, trying to piece together what was happening. As he climbed down, he saw Mokuba, for there was some sort of glowing orb in his hands. And what was behind Mokuba was quite a weird sight.  
  
There was a girl, with black hair and blue eyes, pounding the hell out of some sort of creature that reminded him of something out of duel monsters, only uglier. Way uglier. And that was saying something, compared to some of the cards he'd seen. It was obvious that Noah had designed it to kill him and his brother.  
  
The creature was three times his size, and this girl wearing a red robe of some sort, was trying—and succeeding—at beating the monster to the ground. As Kaiba looked her over, he realized immediately that she didn't look capable of dealing the damage she was inflicting.  
  
The girl gave it one final blow. Kaiba heard a crack, and was pretty sure the creature's neck was broken. He'd seen some of his body guards do something like that before. The girl stepped away from the monster as Kaiba watched it dissolve into mid-air. Mokuba was laughing. He was actually laughing at the fight. He had to get his little brother off those violent video games.  
  
The girl looked at Mokuba with kind eyes and a smile as she said, "Glad you find it funny. I thought you were going to faint when I first saw you. You should watch where you sit. That tree almost crushed you. Be careful, young Mokuba Kaiba."  
  
So she saved Mokuba? Wait, how did she know his name, Seto wondered.  
  
"Thanks," he said roughly.  
  
"Yes, thank you," Mokuba echoed shyly.  
  
The girl nodded in acknowledgement. "The pleasure's all mine. It's not everyday you get to save one of the rich Kaiba brothers."  
  
Kaiba snorted. "So that's what this is about. You want money."  
  
"No, your money is of no use to me. I have no need for it." The girl replied casually.  
  
"That's absurd. Everyone needs money."  
  
"Not me. If I may," she said, grabbing each of their hands and shaking them. "I'm Jessica. Nice to meet other captives here. Almost forgot there were other people in the world."  
  
"Noah's got you here too?" Mokuba piped up. "Why?"  
  
Jessica looked thoughtful. "I suppose you could say part resentment, part jealousy, part mistrust, part rivalry, and part respect, actually."  
  
"In short, you won't tell us?" Kaiba interjected.  
  
"I didn't say that, nor will you hear me say it."  
  
"Then tell us."  
  
Jessica didn't respond, and instead turned to Mokuba. "You're cold." It was a statement, not a question. "Come one, follow me." She took the shining orb from Mokuba's hands and lead them forward. "If you get lost, walk toward the light, and I don't mean the pun in any way whatsoever *whispering * sorry Mokuba, I didn't mean to start an argument with your brother," Mokuba smiled his acknowledgement. "If you get lost, I hope you don't run into anything. Now, I'm forgetting something...Oh! Right, I shouldn't leave you two defenseless, should I? So, what'll it be?"  
  
"Clarify please," Kaiba said from behind her.  
  
"Your weapons, of course," Jessica responded as a matter-of-factly. "So, a sword for you, I take it, Kaiba? And I have a very powerful double-bladed ax just your size, Mokuba," she pulled the said items from her robe mysteriously. "These are very—"  
  
"Do you really think I'm going to let you give deadly weapons to my little brother?" Kaiba said, obviously irritated by this stranger who saved his brother's life. Mokuba, who had been looking forward to wielding a weapon, settled down seeming almost sad, as if the look would persuade Seto.  
  
"If you want him to live you will. 'Noah, as you as you call him, is after you, so even though I overrode his systems for a while, he'll be back and very upset. But fine..." Jessica put both items back into her robes, and began to walk. This surprised Kaiba, as he noticed that though her robe held both items, it didn't sag with the weight at all.  
  
How does she know about Noah? Kaiba thought. And how did she get into his computer system?  
  
Mokuba gave him a look that asked the same thing, but they followed behind her, somehow having believed every word she'd said. Kaiba stayed behind Mokuba, thinking he'd have to protect his little brother from Jessica, who was a shady character in his eyes, despite the fact that she saved him.  
  
But at least he had found an ally against Noah who wasn't Yuugi. He felt for Mokuba's shoulder and held on to it as he followed the bright light ahead of them. But would it lead them to safety of danger, victory of failure, life or death?  
  
*~*  
  
Nothing had changed. They had plunged into a seemingly endless darkness, and Yuugi was determined to do something. He didn't know what that something was, but he was determined to it all the same.  
  
//Little one,// Yami advised him, //do you think that it's wise for you to just leave your friends? Or to risk them getting lost in the dark? I know you are restless Yuugi, I can feel it; but you can't just throw your friends into danger like that.//  
  
Yuugi paced in the dark, watching his sleeping friends. He knew that Yami was right. He always was in the end.  
  
//Besides,// Yami continued, //I have the feeling something's about to happen. Something...important.//  
  
/Important?/ Yuugi asked. /Like what?/  
  
//I don't know. It's just a feeling.//  
  
Suddenly, another voice burst into Yuugi's mind, surprising him and Yami.  
  
///Stay, do not move from your position, I will come to you.///  
  
//Who was that? I don't sense anyone around, Yuugi.//  
  
/No./ Yuugi didn't know who that was, but he intended to find out  
  
*~* *~* *~* *~* *~* *~* *~* *~* *~* *~* *~* *~* *~* *~* *~* *~* *~* *~* *~* *~* *~* Sorry this chap took so long. It's not even really long, but there were a series of fiascos that went along with this:  
  
1: I don't have a computer, so usually I do my typing from my school's internet lab and/or library. When I was so close to finishing the chap, the teacher who runs the computer lab had surgery. She was absent for about a month, and the computer lab was closed during that time. (I try to avoid going to the library, since the lady in there scares me)  
  
2: After about a week, I decided she wasn't coming back anytime soon, so went to the library and faced the Evil Librarian. I started the chap again, to my irritation. Half the time the computer I had saved my story on was taken, and I would have saved it on a disk if my friend hadn't stolen it and put so many fanfics on it that she thought I should read, including a huge 336 paged Gravitation fanfic that I still haven't even gotten halfway through.  
  
3: When I finished it, I decided to put it on my yahoo! Briefcase, since I didn't have time to submit it right then, and that way I could come to school early the next day, send it in, and not have to skip lunch. However, when I pulled it up, my sister (8 yrs. old; knows nothing about the internet yet) accidentally erases it.  
  
4: Although most people wouldn't consider this enough to weigh them down for more than a couple of days, I will remind you: I HAVE NO COMPUTER OF MY OWN! And I ask that you bear with me. I apologize sincerely, though, for the delay.  
  
That apology goes directly out to Naomi Gardner, whom probably has began buying pillows for the sole purpose of writing my name on it and slashing it with a dagger on that tiny, tiny red dot she marked below my name to symbolize my heart.  
  
I hope that the next chap won't take so long to submit ( 


	5. A Piece of the Puzzle

Virtual Reality

Chapter 5: A Piece of the Puzzle

Instead of doing the usual routine of just giving you the story, I'm gonna give you guys some imput on my personality. Yes, I realize that I have no bio. First of all, you must all know the message I follow in life: "One word, four sylables: In-sa-ni-ty!"

Second, I'm actually doing a disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh!. If I did, it would be that much easier to bring comics to life, employ them as my slaves, and rule the world.

Next, I've got muses, you know, 'cause I'm crazy and all that. I've also decided that I'm going to have a guest muse each chapter. Well, here they are...

**Rurouni Kenshin (from Rurouni Kenshin):** This one is glad to have been chosen, yes he is.

**Draco Malfoy (from Harry Potter):** Only a Malfoy is suited for such a high position, not some homeless bum who speaks of himself in the third person.

**Shigure Sohma (from Fruits Basket):** No high school girls?

**Sesshoumaru (from Inuyasha):** You perverted fool. Bow before the mighty Lord Sesshoumaru, mortal.

**Anna Kyôyama(from Shaman King):** Pipe down you lousy demon, or do I have to send you to hell?

**Kurama (from YuYu Hakasho):** The heart is but a delicate rose; if you nuture it, the flower will shower you with profuse beauty and love. If you neglect it, it will wither and die, holding a bitternes for you in it's petals.

**Bakura (from Yu-gi-oh!):** Stop with the mushy shit. The only good thing the heart is for is so you can tell that someone is dead after you kill them.

**Malik (also from Yu-gi-oh!):** I'm sooo with you on that, Bakura.

And the guest muse for this chapter is... 

**Tao Ren (from Shaman King; a.k.a. Lenny for the English version...):** I will crush all opposition! You are all blind to the destruction taht will be done by my hand...

**Bakura:** I like this guy. Hey! Your voice is English like mine! Bad Dubber?

**Ren: **Unfortunately, yes. You too, Draco?

**Draco:** Nothing about a Malfoy is artificial. We're pure bred.

**Malik:** Like Dogs?

**Draco:** No! Of course not! How dare you compare a Malfoy to a dog?

**Anna:** Men. Hmph.

**Shigure:** No high school girls?

**Kenshin:** Violence is not the way, that it is not. It blinds the mind and heart, that it does.

**Me (darkdragonwriter):** I like their dub voices...

**Sesshoumaru:** He is correct. You have ot have a reason to kill. There are so many, just choose ome instead of killing mindlessly.

**Kenshin:** That's not what I meant.

**Kurama:** Violence prevents love...

**Shigure:** Wait, I don't understand. No high school girls?

**Anna:** Shut up!

**Bakura:** yeah, or I'll send you to thes Shadow Realm. Now Ren, what were you saying about taking over the world...?

**Me:** It's time for the chapter to begin...Draco! Stop boasting about your Malfoy pride, the story gonna start...Draco! Don't make me write you out...!

"Stay, do not move from your position," Kaiba heard Jessica mutter under her breath. Great, now she was talking to herself. What sort of homicidal maniac were they following?

"Excuse me?" he said in offended tones.

"I was sending a telepathic message to your friends, the one traveling with Motou."

"There not my friends," he replied, so enraged at even being associated to those punks, he didn't even hear her say 'telepathic message'. "We're not related in any way." Mokuba opened his mouth to speak, but Kaiba silenced him with a glare. He knew he was lying; they all had to do with the fate of the world, and he was still relunctant to believe it, though Yuugi had told him many time (A/N: actually, it was Yami, but for those who don't know, Kaiba didn't quite know who Yami was at this point in the show) many times. Yuugi, he had learned, was related to him in terms of Egyptian past. Isis and Marik Ishtar, Bakura, and even Pegasus at one time, were all intertwined with the fate of Yuugi and himself. Sure, they weren't related at _all._

Jessica chuckled softly. "I've done my research, and I know I'm correct."

"We don't have to travel with you."

"No, _you_ don't have to travel with me. I'll escort Mokuba through the woods myself."

Kaiba's anger was boiling. "You won't be taking my little brother anywhere. For al we know, you could be working for Noah!"

Mokuba sighed. He didn't want them to fight. He suddenly decided he would stay with Jessica, no matter what Seto said. Then Seto would have to stay, too. It was the most strategic thing to do. She seemed to know a lot about this world, and about Noah—information they lacked—and he would get that information. Besides, Jessica was nice enough; she did save him from a huge falling tree and one of Noah's monsters.

"Last _I_ checked, you were heading that way anyway!" Jessica practically screamed. "And if I wanted him to die I would've let that tree crush him or the monster eat him!"

Kaiba didn't need that reminder. He knew perfectly well she could kill him without difficulty. And beyond that, she was unpredictable, which made her all the more dangerous.

"We're leaving. Come on, Mokuba."

"N-no," came Mokuba's voice, which surprised Kaiba, and—despite his earlier decision—himself.

He earned himself a piercing glare from his older brother. "What?"

Mokuba's voice became clearer as he spoke. "She seems to know a lot more than we do about this place, and she did save my life. We owe her Seto, whether you like it or not."

His own blood, his own flesh and blood, his loyal friend—defying him? What the hell had the girl done to his little brother? But he did have a good argument.

Seto sighed in defeat. He became silent and crossed his arms nonchalantly.

'This means he's staying,' Mokuba mouthed to Jessica, and she nodded.

"Come on, she said, "We have to hurry." She began walking and so did Mokuba, with for the first time—Seto trailing behind him.

**Bakura:** What the hell? When Kaiba doesn't want to do something, he doesn't do it, Mokuba or not! What happened? Gone soft Kaiba?

**Kurama: **Love binds him and his younger brother together. It is hard to betray a loved one, as love flows through the rive of truth...

**Tao Ren:** Kaiba could be using her information to find Noah, then betray her or something.

**Kenshin:** No, not after she saved Mokuba like that? That would be acting dishonorably, that it would. Kaiba would never do that, that he would not.

**Malik:** Besides, he'd have to bribe him while killing Jessica, which would probably be pointless considering he needs her to find Noah in the first place. Kaiba's a fool.

**Anna:** At least Jessica put Kaiba in his place.

**Sesshoumaru:** Women do no deserve such leadership.

**Anna:** Are you _trying_ to earn a one way trip to the spirit world?

**Sesshoumaru:** stares at Anna...

**Anna:** stares back fiercely Well? Do you want to make me mad or not?

**Sesshoumaru:** still staring No. Looks away

**Shigure:** Jessica's...a nice looking young girl. Will she be joining us anytime soon, my dear writer?

**Me:** Hmm...maybe, but it will be a little while from now, since she might accidentally give away the story.

**Shigure:** But...But...starts crying All the high school girls!

**Draco:** Stop whining you sniveling fool, or I'll be forced to use a silencing charm.

**Me:** Hello? You're supposed to say something about the story!

**Sesshoumaru:** It's simple. Kaiba should regain his leadership again. He was better alone.

**Anna:** Grrr...

**Shigure:** I like it when a woman's in charge...

**Anna:** Thank you Shigure.

**Shigure:** And if they happen to be more experienced...let's just say you'll have a good time."

**Anna:** Perv! hits Shigure over the head with a frying pan

**Shigure:** all dizzy from being hit Look at all the little ladies, dancing in a row before my eyes.

**Draco:** I think Kaiba should stay suspicious, guard Mokuba closely, and come up with an emergency plan incase Jessica does betray them, but use her resources to full capacity. All Slytherins—believe me, he'd be a Slytherin—are prepared.

**Bakura:** What? That's crap! Just because you have the same accent as me—and I swear you were dubbed—doesn't mean I agree with you. Kaiba's just not the type. He's stupid, arrogant, and intelligent all at the same time. He doesn't plan ahead. What's wrong with you?

**Draco:** I am not dubbed! Notice a difference between you and I: I'm 3D, and you're no! And Seto would learn to plan ahead if he were at Hogwarts.

**Marik:** In your description of Kaiba, Bakura, you forgot annoying.

**Bakura:** You're right.

**Tao Ren:** If you're not dubbed, use British slang!

**Draco:** Stop saying that I'm bloody dubbed or I'll kick your arse!

**Shigure: **still crying What about all the high school girls?

**Draco, Tao Ren, and Bakura:** Shut up!

**Me:** Sesshoumaru, bring the story back in.

**Sesshoumaru:** Gladly. Quiet, mortals, and read as if your lives depend on it. If you stop the story now, I will track you down and kill you!

**Me**: uhh...

Yuugi and company were bored. They were lucky that Yuugi kept two flashlights in his backpack for emergencies, but why use them if there was nothing to do? Besides, they still had plenty of firewood for their campfire.

"Lets play, 'I spy'!" Jounouchi shouted. "I spy with my little eye something dark and scary—"

"Your face?" Otogi suggested, and everyone—even Serenity—laughed.

"Why I oughta—"

"Jou," Otogi interrupted. "Look behind you. What it that?"

Jounouchi, as well as everyone else, could see a light in the distance.

"Maybe its Kaiba!" Yuugi said. _Hope._

"Maybe its Noah." Jou said. _The hope went crashing in flames. What if it _was_ Noah? What would they do?_

They all watched as the light came closer and closer. For the first time in their lives, they were actually hoping Kaiba was coming. He was so far the only one who could help them escape.

When they could see the party coming toward them, they sigh in relief. _Somehow, their hope managed to crawl from the crash site and keep walking._ Yuugi and friends soon found themselves looking into the face of Seto Kaiba.

Kaiba nearly growled at Jessica as he glared into the face of his archenemy. "What are we doing here?" he asked her.

"This is part of your original party. You must leave the same way you came." Jessica said. "So you can forget..."

"Whatever. Is this the only stop?"

"No. I have a place here. One unchanged by Noah's computers."

Kaiba looked at her expressionlessly, but felt slight admiration. Anyone who could reverse the control of the main computer system in its own environment must be... a genius. There was no other way to put it.

"Who's dat?" Jounouchi said, drinking her in.

"Oh, please," Kaiba snapped, "don't endow her with your perverted motives. Her name is Jessica."

"We owe her, so she coming along," Mokuba added.

"You're...the voice I heard, aren't you?" Yuugi inquired.

Jessica smiled, but said nothing.

"Can we go now?" Kaiba said impatiently. We have to hurry, if you don't mind."

"Yes, there's only a matter of time before Noah gets his computer back online. We will be heading to my dwelling quarters to prepare ourselves, then we'll find Noah." Jessica said.

Everyone's expression turned serious at Jessica's last words. She began to walk, and they followed obediently. But Jessica stopped abruptly after walking only ten paces.

"What's the hold up?" Kaiba demanded.

"Someone has to put out the fire and scatter the firewood." Jessica said, turning back toward the party.

"What the hell good will that do? We need to move now!"

"We're putting out the fire and scattering the firewood. End of story. WE can't leave any trails. He'll know that we were here. Now, if yo would like to help, to make the work go faster, then you're free to do so."

"I don't have time for--"

"Do it, or I leave."

Yuugi and the others watched attentively for Kaiba's response.

"Leave if you want, then."

Jessica growled deep in her throat. What was with this guy? He had help handed to him on a silver platter, and he wouldn't take it.

"Yuugi," Jessica said suddenly, "please put out the fire. And you three," she pointed at Jounouchi, Otogi, and Honda, "What are your names? And the two young ladies as well."

They looked surprised at first to hear such a commanding voice directed at them. But all the same, Yuugi ran off toward the fire, and everyone else's attention was on Jessica. Otogi steeped forward.

"I'm Otogi," he said, "and this is Jounouchi, next to him is Honda, then Anzu, and the little lady is Shizuka." He pointed to each person as he spoke.

Jounouchi growled slightly, not liking the was Otogi had said 'little lady'.

"Okay, Jounouchi, Otogi, and Honda, go scatter the firewood."

They left obediently, and Kaiba remarked, "Go fetch the stick, mutt."

Jounuchi almost leapt on Kaiba, but Otogi and Honda dragged him away. Kaiba smirked.

Jessica giggled, but said, "Don't be so mean, Kaiba."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow, and Mokuba giggled, too. "Mean? It's the truth. He's a lowly, sniveling dog who runs around with his tail between his legs whenever danger approaches. He's a coward."

"But you're taunting him purposefully."

"So? You know anyone who does it by accident?"

Jessica sighed, knowing this would be a long walk to her living quarters.

**Anna: **What? How dare Kaiba speak to her like that? Jessica's trying to help you out, and that's what you do? Like it or not, Kaiba, Jessica's in charge! Accept it! Move on!

everyone stares

**Anna: **Stop looking at me or I'll send you all to hell!

**Sesshoumaru: **You see not the insult leaking from your words. A man's pride is his heart. Believeme, I've used it to my advantage many times against Inuyasha...

**Anna: **Look, I get that, but she's bested him in everything. He should accept it.

**Bakura: **I know Kaiba. He won't back down so easily. He's just retarded like that.

**Marik: **Yeah, the fucker'll keep goin' until his ass is completely destroyed.

**Anna:** How do _you _two know?

**Bakura:** _I've_ been his enemy from the very beginning. I just don't like him. Dumbass.

**Kurama: **He may be foolish, but he tries to change for Mokuba. He loves Mokuba, even if it's the only person he has those feelings for. One day that love will be tested, and I have no doubt Kaiba will perservere.

**Marik:** Will you _stop_ talking about love. I want to fight you if you won't shut up. Right here, right now lover boy!

**Bakura:** I get to kick the loser!

**Sesshoumaru:** Interseting...

**Marik:** That's it! Choose you weapon now1

**Shigure:** Now, who do you think will win? Do they get high school girls?

**Draco:** Malik, of course! With his shadow powers and all...

**Sesshoumaru, Anna, Tao Ren, and Kenshin:** No.

**Draco:** What do you—

**Marik:** I call upon the powers of darkness to destroy this fool who opposes me! points the Millennium Rod at Kurama

**Kurama:** If it is a fight you wish... pulls a rose from his hair and holds it up ...then it is a fight you will receive. Beware the powers of love and goodness.

**Draco: **A flower?

**Me:** you guys, maybe you shouldn't...

**Draco:** A flower. He's going to beat Marik with a flow—

**Tao Ren: **Why didn't I see it before? Kurama's spirit power... it is very great indeed. Marik may have his hands full with this one...

**Kenshin:** This one sensed it as well.

**Sesshoumaru:** I might need to form an alliance with him...

**Anna:** Yes... his furyoku...is very...

**Kurama:** This fight flips his hair begins now. Rose Whip! his rose transforms into the Rose Whip

**Marik:** Oh, wow, like you can beat me with a—

**Kurama:** Rose Whip Lash! cuts Marik's shoulder

**Marik:** How dare you?

**Kurama:** preparing to strike again Love binds us together. We draw strength from our relationships, as flowers draw strength from the sun and water. With that strength cracks his whip we defend our loved ones, as the rose has thorns to protect its stem.

**Marik:** Whatever. wields rod I banish you to the Shadow—

**Kurama:** Rose Whip Lash! whip grips the rod, making it tumble to the ground

**Sesshoumaru and Kenshin:** It's over.

**Me:** Can this foolish ness please stop?

**Sesshoumaru:** Marik has such a temper...

**Kenshin:** it will be the end of him

**Kurama:** Looks like you're nothing picks up the rod without this. shakes the rod in the air You lose.

**Kenshin:** Marik, accept this defeat.

**Marik:** narrows his eyes, then smiles You and your stupid monologues.

**Kurama:** tosses him the rod while his whip fades away, becoming flower petals. Then he flips his hair again You and your foolish temper. he smiles

**Kenshin:** smiling this one was right. Kurama is of noble spirit.

**Bakura:** grins like a mad man and kicks Marik Ha!

**Marik:** What the hell was that for?

**Bakura:** Said I'd kick the loser. Bakura doesn't lie.

everyone stares

**Bakura:** Okay, I lie a little...

everyone still stares

**Bakura**: some?

everyone still stares

**Bakura**: Okay, most of the time.

still staring

**Bakura**: Fine. I only tell the truth on rare occasions.

everyone resumes their former activities

**Bakura**: But this was one of those times...

everyone stares again

**Bakura**: Come on! It's not my fault!

everyone still stares

**Bakura**: Fine, Ra, it's all my fault...

everyone resumes their former activities

**Shigure**: I'm glad no one got hurt. Who won the high school girls?

**Anna**: No one, baka!

**Shigure**: But Anna-sama...

**Me**: Shigure means well, really...Bakura, bring the story back in.

**Bakura:** First, warning: We do not advise anyone to talk about love, as it begins arguing. We also warn that if you fight Kurama, you WILL lose, and if your pride and spirit are lost in the process, we warned you. While we encourage fighting we realise that you should always mindlessly choose opponents stronger than you, and always ignore Kenshin's advice. Last but not least, don't forget, Bakura never lies.

everyone stares

**Bakura:** Fine, Bakura always lies, and keep reading or I'll possess your dog, make him attack you, send your soul to the shadow realm, and chop your body to mince meat and put it in Ryou's food. Good Night. KEEP READING!!! I'll be watching, for I am the darkness...

"Well, this is home," Jessica said with a sigh. There was a key pad next to the front double doors of the house, and she punched in her code, which opened the door of the large establishment.

"Man, this place is huge," Jounouchi said.

"And you've been here all alone, by yourself this whole time?" Yuugi asked.

_Of course, _Kaiba thought. _He just would only thin about that. Still, at least I have Mokuba...and this place is big, almost as big as my..._

He looked around. His face paled in shock, though his expression remained intact. It looked just like _Kaiba Mansion_.

Mokuba tugged at his sleeve quietly so on one would notice, but they shared a glance, which was enough. Kaiba nodded.

"What's with this—it looks exactly like Kaiba Mansion." He said

He heard everyone's sharp intake of breath as he finished, and smiled to himself. The fools couldn't take a surprise as small as that? He wished he could see their faces when they had first discovered all the obstacles in this world...

Yuugi was suspicious. Whoever could break into a mind link had substantial power. Jessica never really had asked or told them anything about her or themselves. She just _knew_. Most of his enemies had researched him first...

She could have a Millennium item, Yami said.

/I doubt it. Noah doesn't have one and he broke our link...and, wouldn't the puzzle detect it? We're so close to her.../ Yuugi replied internally.

Still, something... is not right. I can feel it.

/Maybe you should take over until we know what's going on./

I'll help as much as I can.

No one seemed to notice as the Millennium Puzzle began to grow, and release the blinding light that signaled the change of the two spirits.

Appearances deceive. Yami looked at the back of Jessica's head, and almost immediately, like she'd sensed his gaze, she turned her head and glanced, looking into Yami's eyes one second longer than needed.

A glance from Kaiba followed. He too, looked a second longer than needed, but only in anger, loathing, and frustration. Yami saw something in the young CEO's eyes as he turned to look ahead again, pestering Jessica about the house. Yami understood, suddenly, bowing his head and smiling in amusement.

After turning down a series of hallways, they reached a door. Jessica paused, looking at Kaiba before opening it.

"Yes...it does look like Kaiba Mansion--"

"As it was eight years ago." Kaiba finished. "How did you program this facility to imitate _my_ Mansion? Tell me!"

Jessica's pale hand stroked the wooden door, and she whispered, "Yes...have I forgotten what it looks like?"

Only Kaiba and Yami seemed to hear her, but before they say anything, Jessica pulled herself out of her nostalgic trance to face the group, and shook her head. "This is a prototype facility Noah built for his computer Mainframe. How he chose to design it is none of my business, not that I know, anyway. You can take it up with all the other question you have for Noah." She opened the door, and walked in. Mokuba went in first, followed by Kaiba, Jounouchi, Otogi, Honda, Shizuka, Anzu, and Yami was last.

Yami looked around as he entered. It was one of the largest rooms he had ever seen. It looked like a combination of an electronics laboratory, a living room and a kitchen. It seemed like it would be a room in Kaiba Mansion, only more...welcoming.

Jounouchi nearly squealed when he saw the kitchen part of the room. "Food!"

Honda and Otogi shook their heads, then ran to some chair near a television, where Shizuka was heading. She was totally absorbed in a conversation with Anzu, and didn't even notice they were being followed.

Jessica sat down in front of a large computer, and began typing. Kaiba was looming over her, with Mokuba at his side.

Considering the activities going on, Yami walked over to Jessica and the Kaiba brothers, knowing they'd probably have some information on Noah.

"I know you know why he chose my establishment for his prototype. Tell me!" Kaiba was saying.

"Seto Kaiba, why don't you ask him? We'll be leaving tomorrow morning. I feel your restlessness, and I apologize for not moving fast enough for you but I can't do anything for you brother or you concerning this house."

"Fine then, forget the house; you know about enough; spill everything you know."

Jessica turned around in her chair, facing Kaiba, Mokuba, and Yami. She immediately

gazed at Yami after noticing him.

The silence seemed to last for an eternity before she spoke again, finally looking at Kaiba. "...look, I'm as eager as you are to go after Noah. Do you know how long I've been imprisoned here? Noah put me here and...he is the one I have to destroy to get out. End of story."

"So you've been here for a long time, but you still don't know anything about the island?" Mokuba said. "You have this entire hose with a prototype mainframe complete with nearly flawless analyzers and scanners, but you know nothing about anything in this world?"

Kaiba himself was impressed with that speech. He couldn't have been prouder of Mokuba than at that moment.

Jessica smiled. "I admire you, young Kaiba. I do know _everything_ about this world, but as to Noah's identity... I—don't know."

Kaiba didn't like the sound of that response. She was hiding something. Yami had noticed her hesitation as well.

"...but I do know that I want to get out of here, and I know how to do it." She finished.

"Then why haven't you tried yet?" Kaiba snapped. "You obviously have nothing to top you."

Jessica looked away as she answered. "You see, I've been waiting for you. I've known that you were coming for a while, that he planned to trap you here. It was more difficult to track you, especially after I shut Noah's system down..." she looked at Yami. "It helped that you and you friends stayed in one place."

Kaiba scowled. _Is she trying to insult me? _he thought.

"Still," Yami said, "You could have left us. We're stranger to you. Perhaps... you want to leave, but you _can't_, at least not without us."

Kaiba looked at Noah in shock. "Yuugi, what are you trying to get at? Of course she could leave, what could really keep her from doing so?"

"Noah, for one thing"

"Yes... he did delay my initial return... although it was for the best. You see... I ..." Jessica paused, and avoided Yami's piercing gaze. They were good companions, but she couldn't tell them. She shook her head, smiling sadly. "I was caught by Noah, and he tried to delete me... our minds are all—"

"Didtized while in this world," Kaiba finished. "We heard it all from Noah already."

"Anyway," Jessica continued, "he no knows, that I'm back, so we can either leave tomorrow while his computer's still down and take advantage of his lacking defenses, or wait until the systems back up so it's easier to navigate. Which one?'

"We should go now!" Kaiba said. "We shouldn't have to come this dump if we didn't have to!"

"Kaiba," Yami said fiercely, "My friends are in need of rest, and even you are bound to get tired in a while. What if you tiredness causes us to be stuck here forever."

"Kaiba's don't tire."

"It is the preferable choice."

"I don't _care_ about the preferable choice! Noah deserves my revenge today! Now!"

"Seto." Jessica said.

Kaiba bristled. "Don't call—"

"—what about Mokuba, Seto? He's been fatigued since we arrived here. You can see it in his eyes.

There was a softness in Jessica's voice that stirred something inside Kaiba. That was the voice he had always wanted to hear as a child—a kind, gentle voice, a mother's voice, a caring voice.

She cares... 

He looked at Mokuba, who had begun to frown upon being the subject of the conversation. He looked and he saw what he hadn't before: Mokuba looked on the range of collapsing, thought he smiled through it.

Kaiba's expression visibly softened, and he shifted closer to Mokuba so that his little brother could lean on him. Kaiba avoided Jessica and Yami's eyes as he said quietly, "We stay."

Jessica smiled. "Great...WE—we leave tomorrow for Noah's HQ..." she then turned back to her computer.

"You know where Noah resides?" Yami asked.

"...yes."

Kaiba didn't like that statement. There were too many stammers. Stammers meant lies, secrets—and those weren't good in this situation. Kaiba would have to talk to her. But at least they had Noah's location. They were one step closer to finding Noah, and being released from this retched world.

**Me:** So, what did you think of the chapter?

**Bakura:** What is Kaiba so damn doubtful for? They had been walking for a while. She could be tired. Hell, just because he hasn't heard of sleep doesn't mean they haven't.

**Kurama:** I think it's sweet that he stayed for his brother. It proves that he loves Mokuba a lot.

**Marik:** But, what's going on with Kaiba and Jessica? Betcha Kaiba's horny after sixteen years of not getting any.

**Draco:** Kaiba—

**Me:** Excuse me, I must censor his statement because it will give away the story.

**Draco:** Hey! That's no fair.

**Marik:** Even Yami can see right through his ass. And that guy's dense, believe me. Do you know how long it took him to realize that I was Marik? Ra, like a lightening bolt would ever hit me while I summoned Ra. Think about it!

**Bakura:** Marik's right. He should have suspected me while we were at Duelist Kingdom. Come on, like Ryou wouldn't tell him if he was invited or not. Jackass.

**Kenshin:** laughing softly And yet he still defeats you every time.

**Sesshoumaru:** At least my brother and I are close to a tie. My plans never fail. Never. But my annoying brother has extraordinary luck.

**Ren:** Well, my motto is: if you can't beat them, join them, unless they're hell bent on killing you. Then you summon a huge ghost, intergrate, and destroy them.

**Shigure:** Such violent people. No way to get a wife.

**Anna:** Shigure is right. Yoh never acted evil.

**Everyone:** What?

**Anna: **stares at all

**Everyone:** whistles innocently and looks away

**Me:** There you have it. The long, strenuous fifth chapter. Anyone want to close us out? Why not our guest?

**Ren:** Gladly. Review, and look for the next chap. If you don't, expect to see ghosts in your dreams, while you're in school, and everywhere else. At which point, they will drive you insane, and you will look for us trying to break the curse, only to realize that we don't exist in your world, and your spirit will break, causing Bakura to send you to the Shadow Realm. There you will suffer for all eternity, rocking back and forth on you bottom, since you can't die. See you!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, I am never going to do this again. Well, I will, but it'll be a while before I do this again.

I apologize soooooooo much for the lateness. I had a fifty page project to do (well, I'm still doing it) and it's taking up all my time in school. And, during the summer, I have no computer, so that didn't help, plus I had a job, as most people do. I will try my best to get the next chap up a lot sooner.

I thank all of my fans who haven't given up on me. I am really soooooo sorry.

Also, you guys have my email. If I'm ever later than a month or two on my chaps, email me and find out what the hell is going on.

I want to thank especially my friend **Yami'sgypsyyugi'sgirl **for getting on my ass about the story. I hope you enjoyed this chap.

I've got to get to work on the next one...

Also, if you haven't noticed, I put up a bio (a really sucky one, and you people are the best ever if you even read it) to sedate my friend **Pika Pika chiharu-chan**. I will be trying to post hints to the new stories that I might be putting up.

Thanks bunches! I love you guys! ( by the way, I'm high on pixie sticks, so forgive my cheerfulness!)


	6. Marching to the Enemy

Virtual Reality 

Chapter 6: Marching to the Enemy

When Kaiba woke up (for Mokuba had convinced him to sleep, too), still in the strange mixture f living-kitchen-mechanical room that Jessica had led them to, n the even more strange "Kaiba Mansion" prototype stronghold that Noah had built, he sighed. He wanted to be at home, working at his computer. The faster they destroyed Noah, the better.

He looked toward the computers. Jessica was still working. A thought struck him, and he rose from the couch he'd been sleeping on, and walked up to Jessica. If she was as dedicated to her work as he was, then…

"You didn't sleep any yesterday, did you?" he said.

Jessica shook her head, but kept working. "There is no need for sleep here. The need for sleep may be something your body needs, but here… you have no physical body. Therefore, you fatigue becomes—"

"A figment of the mind. Something you feel because of you biological clock." Kaiba finished. He wrote the book on skimping sleep, of course.

"What have you been doing all night?"

"Reconfiguring this station."

"To do…?"

"To implode as soon as any trace of me disappears from this realm. I want this world destroyed, once and for all. I want it gone."

"What if you just happen to die at Noah's hands?"

"Yes, although I doubt it will happen, I have considered it. You will all have ten minutes after my final piece of data is deleted to leave. However…if that isn't enough time…" she looked at Kaiba thoughtfully. "The password to my detonation system is 'Gozaburo'."

Kaiba just stared. Jessica continued, unaware of Kaiba's reaction. "You can use this password to stop the system, if you see fit. I trust your judgment."

"Your password, where did you get it?"

"Gozaburo? Well…"

"When and where did you meet Gozaburo Kaiba!?"

"I…"

"Spit it out!"

At that moment, several people awakened. Yami, Jounouchi, Otogi, Honda, and Mokuba all sat up.

"Wha? Keep it down, will ya?" said Jou.

Jessica looked around. "Well, since you are awake, I should probably tell you too…"

"You'd better!" Kaiba shouted.

"Tell us what?" Mokuba asked groggily.

"Jessica has been keeping secrets. Oh, do tell, Jessica."

Yami narrowed his eyes. What kind of secret was it?

Jessica removed her hood, revealing her cascading black locks of hair. She looked everyone in the eye before speaking, her gaze lingering on Yami longer than usual. "I…am Gozaburo's daughter, Jessica Kaiba."

Several gasps sounded throughout the room.

"That's not possible!" Kaiba exploded. "We never met you!"

"Yes, Kaiba," Jessica said calmly. "Gozaburo had me sent to private schools my entire life, and refused to include me in the family after mom died…he didn't believe that a woman could run KaibaCorp, no matter what happened or how smart she was. Then, two years after his death, I was trapped here. I want to prove myself. I know I can escape. I had almost succeeded once, but that was before he put in the extra programs…"

"What programs?" Yami asked.

"He installed extra programs for when _you_ all arrived. That's how I found out about you. When I discovered that you were my father's adopted son, I figured you were all kidnapped for the same reason I was, although I don't know what that is."

"But, how is Noah connected to Gozaburo?" Mokuba asked.

Jessica shrugged. "I…don't know. I've been trying to find that out for some time." She turned to Kaiba. "That's also why I stayed up all night. I was trying to make a last attempt to discover that information. But it's not recorded anywhere in Noah's systems. I've hacked them all. They contain nothing. I've placed scans, searches on all of his files. He has recorded no information about Gozaburo Kaiba, except stolen records from KaibaCorp with his name on them."

"Seto! That's it! He _did_ say that he wanted to take over KaibaCorp."

"But why?" Yami said. "There's a piece missing…"

"We don't need it!" Kaiba insisted. "I say we attack him."

"But we need to know why he wants KaibaCorp."

"No we don't! Noah can keep his objectives to himself!"

"Kaiba—"

"NO, Yuugi! I know that he's a threat to my company, and that's enough."

Yami sighed. There was no getting through to the CEO.

"Chill, Yuug'," Jounouchi said. Otogi and Honda nodded.

Mokuba met eyes with Yami, and nodded as well. He knew his brother better than anyone, and Seto would never back down, as far as KaibaCorp was concerned.

"Seto, calm down. I agree with you," Mokuba lied. "We don't need to know anything else. We know where he is, we know how to get there. We know why Jessica is opposed to him, we have everyone with us. We'll be fine."

Kaiba smiled at his brother. "When are we leaving?" he demanded.

Jessica shrugged. "Now, I suppose."

"Wake the others. We're leaving." Kaiba said.

Fifteen minutes later, they were walking through the forest again, everyone with shining orbs in their hands.

"Man, why do we gotta walk?" Jounouchi complained. "I'm still tired from yesterday."

Jessica and Kaiba exchanged looks. Mokuba noticed.

"Seto," he called.

"Yes, Mokuba?" his brother answered immediately.

"Seto, do you know another way to get to Noah?"

Kaiba looked at Jessica expectantly. Jessica paused. "Yes… but it requires the use of Duel Monsters cards…"

Kaiba looked at her as if she were crazy. "You're looking at the Duel Monsters fan club, if you haven't noticed," he said scarcastically.

"I need someone's Duel disk as well." Jessica said.

Everyone looked at Jou. "What?" the blond said.

"Fork it up, Wheeler," Kaiba said. "We all know you won't be using it anytime soon."

"Please," Jessica added. "You _were_ the one who complained about walking."

Jounouchi hesitantly handed over his Duel disk.

"Now, do any of you have any Dragon cards?"

Kaiba snorted. So, Jessica turned in his direction. "What Dragon do you want to ride?"

"Mokuba and I will take my Blue eyes. The rest of you can find another monster."

"Fine, Kaiba," Yami said, "We will ride on my Red eyes."

"Hmph."

"Give me the cards." Jessica said, ending the argument before it started. Both duelists hesitated.

"Is this…necessary?" Yami inquired.

"Yes…I don't just hand over my cards to anyone," Kaiba added.

"Do either of you know how to give life to a card?"

"You play it, duh." Jounouchi interjected.

Jessica saw her opportunity, and snatched both cards while the duelists' attention was on Jounouchi. She put both cards on the duel disk, and began chanting in whispers. Only Kaiba and Yami heard what she said, and if even if the other had heard, they wouldn't have understood it, either.

"_By the power of Ra…of Sehkmet…and Osiris…the power of life…manifest these spirits before my very eyes…this the task to which I put forth my will…make it so!_"

An illuminating light, similar to that given off by the millennium items, blinded the party, and when the light disappeared, the roars of two Dragons could be heard.

"What did you do?" Kaiyba asked heatedly.

"Yes…I forgot to mention that. Before being trapped here…I was a personal aid to Maximillian Pegasus. I believe you know him…" And despite of pestering by Kaiba, she didn't say much else about it.

Yami contemplated.

Yuugi…I recognized that chant.

/What was it for?/

To summon the spirits of monsters…for the ancient duels.

/Do you think she was lying about Pegasus?/

…No. But…if she worked for Pegasus…why was she trapped here by Noah?

/That's the missing piece./

Yes…we must find out why…

Jessica addressed the group. "Use the orbs of light to help you as you mount your Dragons. I will ride my own monster."

"And what monster will that be?" Kaiba asked haughtily.

"Uh, Jessica…" Jounouchi said in and uncharacteristically quiet voice. "Th-there's somethin' behind ya…"

Yami could see it, too. Behind Jessica, in the darkness, loomed a huge orb of light, and he didn't like the feeling that came from it.

/What is that?/ Yuugi asked him.

"That?" Jessica said to Jounouchi. "It's my monster. I needed one that was able to send a signal to guide the Dragons amid this darkness. So, I chose…the Electric Snake!"

As she announced her monster, the bright orb rose, illuminating the face of the serpent.

Honda and Jounouchi screamed.

Kaiba, who had already mounted his Dragon (Yami could see his orb of light very high in the air), rolled his eyes, despite the fact that no one could see him. "Please. It's such a low level monster."

Yami with help from Jessica, and the other boarded the Red Eyes.

"How do we control them?" Yami yelled to Jessica, who had mounted the head of her Electric Snake.

"That's simple," Kaiba said. "Give them directions. Fly! Rise to the wind, my mighty Blue Eyes!" he added, and his orb, along with Mokuba's were seen lifting into the air.

"Don't go too far, Kaiba,!" Jessica shouted to him. "Follow my Snake's light."

"Fly, my mighty Red Eyes!" Yami said, and everyone gripped onto the scales of the Black Dragon as it rose, stopping when it was level to Kaiba's.

/This is so cool. Just like when we were in Kaiba's virtual world./ Yuugi commented to Yami.

"Man!" Jounouchi said out loud. "This is sweet!"

"This is nice," Anzu added.

Jessica started forward, the Snake's tail sailing through the darkness. Kaiba pulled upward, trying to avoid any possible trees. Yami did the same.

They flew, and followed Jessica for at least ten minutes before she signaled for them to land. Yami hesitated. He loved the freedom of flying. He had always loved it. Reluctantly, he dismounted.

Kaiba took even longer to land. When he finally came down, Yami gave him a smug look. "Hard to give it up, eh, Kaiba?" he said. Kaiba scowled, his face illuminated by his orb. Mokuba winked.

Jessica removed the cards from the duel disk, and the monster faded into nothingness. She handed the cards back to their owners, put hers in her pocket, and gave the duel disk back to Jounouchi.

Yami could see sweat droplets forming on Jessica's brow.

She has grown weary, aibou,Yami commented. It takes energy and power to summon monster, and to maintain them as long as she did…

/Do you think she'll be okay?/ Yuugi asked.

With a little rest, she should be fine.

"Although you can't see it," Jessica said, "We are in front of Noah's fortress. Yes, it is similar to mine, but I am not sure that the room arrangements are the same, so we will tread with caution. I know the location of the important facilities: the Main Control Room, the Transportation Room, and the Hall of Records. Those are out destinations."

Jessica walked ahead of them, warning that there were stairs. She simply reached out and opened a door at the top of the stairs, and everyone followed her in.

Yami used his orb to light the way for his friend, as they were busy looking at the walls and doors. Jessica had been right; it looked exactly like her place.

"Not much of a decorator, is he?" Anzu said offhandedly. Kaiba snorted.

The rest of the walk was silent.

/Yami, why do you think Jessica was trapped here?/

Perhaps Noah wanted someone to experiment on. To test out his system of digitizing memory.

/But why would Noah choose Jessica?/

Isn't it obvious? Jessica is the daughter of Gozaboro Kaiba. Maybe he hoped to gain a prisoner, _and _KaibaCorp secrets at the same time. It would make sense.

/But that piece is still missing. _Why_ would Noah want to take KaibaCorp? And what is his connection to Gozaboro Kaiba?/

That is what we must find out. And Jessica…

/Yes, I've had some suspicions about her too. I don't doubt that she's an ally…/

I believe there is more that she isn't telling us.

/She used to work for Pegasus. Yes… that explains her knowledge of Egypt…/

Do you thinks she knows of the millennium items?

/…yes./ Yuugi said hesitantly. /Do you think that she has a connection to your past? Or the ancient scriptures? Or the God Cards?/

I don't know, hikari…Only she can tell us that…

Soon enough, they came to a fork in the hall. Another hall branched off to the left, and the path they were on kept straight. Jessica stopped, and turned towards the rest.

"if we keep the path straight, we'll reach the Transportation Room. If we go left, we will eventually reach the Main Control Room, where I know Noah is, and if you go two doors back, you will enter the Hall of Records. Where shall we go first?"

"I don't know about you suckers," Kaiba said. "But I'm going to find Noah. Lets go, Mokuba." He walked to the left hallway.

"Wait, big brother!" Mokuba said. "If we go to the Hall of Records, we might find out why Noah wants to take over KaibaCorp."

"I don't care why he wants to take over my company! He made the first move, and now he's going to pay for it, regardless!"

Jessica walked over to Kaiba. "Personally, I want to get out of this place as soon as possible; we should confront Noah before his systems come back online."

"Then shouldn't we go to the Transportation Room?" Shizuka piped up, walking forward. Jounouchi followed her, Otogi and Honda following her as well. Anzu and Yami trailed behind. He wasn't going to let his friends go alone.

"They could get the room ready for our departure, and I could search the Hall of Records." Mokuba suggested.

"I'm not leaving you alone!" Kaiba said.

Jessica shook her head. "With his system down, neither of those programs will be running. And I can't reboot them without alerting him of our presence."

"Damn it!" Noah shouted. "Work! Work!" the aquamarine haired boy tinkered with a wire and typed commands on his keyboard. He was rewarded with the sight of one of his screens springing to life.

Noah smiled. "I can use this security system to reboot my main computer. Then I'll find that wretched Jessica. Why didn't I sense her in my systems?…I'll take care of her!"

He looked at his screen, and set his security system to default settings.

"ATTENTION! SECURITY SYSTEMS ONLINE! DEFAULT SETTINGS ACTIVATED!"

Jessica swore. "he's already started rebooting his main computer. Dammit!"

"Lets go, Mokuba!" Kaiba yelled. The ground began to shake slightly, and Mokuba fell. Across the hall, so did Shizuka. Jounouchi helped her up.

"Look!" Otogi said suddenly.

Walls were rising from crevices in the floor. One was beginning to cover the hall Kaiba and Jessica were in, and another began covering the wall in front of Yami and his group.

"Get up, Mokuba!" Kaiba shouted. "Get over here!"

But by then, the wall was halfway up to the ceiling.

"I can't. It's too high!"

Kaiba made a move to leap over the wall, but Jessica pulled him back.

"Are you crazy?" she said. "You'll get sawed in half.

"I'll risk it!" Kaiba said. "That's my brother!"

"Oh, no one worry about us. We're fine, thank you," Jounouchi said from his part of the hallway.

"Shut up, Wheeler." Kaiba snapped.

"Don't worry big brother, this is good," Mokuba said. "this way, we all do what we want. Go give Noah an extra kick for me!" Mokuba said, and the wall reached the ceiling, closing the companions off from each other.

* * *

Wow! Sorry I took so long. I know I was supposed to type over vacation, but...I was enticed by the internet. And, it didn't help that my dad kept telling me that writing was no fun! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?

I know that you all want to kill him now, but please forgive him. He knew not of which he was speaking...please pardon him.

Anyway, I still think that this was the most horrible chapter for the story, but tell me what you think. and I apoloize again for being late with the story.

In other news...I'm done with my 50 page piece of crap from hell!!! yeah!!! So now, I'll be typing all the time for you guys!! or at least until I get another paper. I don't think I should get another one like that, though.

"I will return, for I am the darkness..."

By the by, has anyone seen that quote on any reviews? if you have, then it was me XD


	7. Discovery pt 1

At last! the long awaited chapter Seven. Yes! It is done!

MY CREATION IS ALIVE!

ALIVE I TELL YOU!

ALIVE!

* * *

Virtual Reality 

**Chapter 7:** Discovery pt. 1

"No!" Kaiba pounded his fists again the wall. "Mokuba!"

Jessi2?t he?"

Seto glared at her, letting go of her clothing. She was right. That was no one's fault. No one thought that Noah would get his security system up first. There was no way to predict that beforehand.

Jessica patted him on the back, then pointed forward.

"Your brother must be alright. He'll be fine. C'mon now; the sooner you defeat Noah with me, the sooner you'll see him again." Jessica said.

Kaiba glanced at the wall again.

_Will Mokuba really be all right?_

He couldn't do anything about it, even if his brother _wouldn't_ be. He began walking down the hall, paying no attention to Jessica.

Noah, you'll pay for separating me and my brother… 

"Seto," Jessica said. He stopped. "You're going about this all wrong."

Kaiba arched an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"I know what you're going to do," she continued. "You're gonna march into Noah's lair, get your ass kicked because you're too blind sighted from anger, and pull me into it so I have to save you. Let your emotions go for now. Mokuba is fine. Calm dop>

He couldn't do anything about it, even if his brother _wouldn't_ be. He began walking down the hall, paying no attention to Jessica.

Noah, you'll pay for separating me and my brother… 

"Seto," Jessica said. He stopped. "You're going about this all wrong."

Kaiba arched an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"I know what you're going to do," she continued. "You're gonna march into Noah's lair, get your ass kicked because you're too blind sighted from anger, and pull me into it so I have to save you. Let your emotions go for now. Mokuba is fine. Calm down. I'm sure he'll be all right. I assure you."

"Can you?" Kaiba answered, turning to face her. "Can you really tell me that he'll be okay? I don't think you can. Can you truthfully tell me that nothing will happen to him in the Hall of Records? Have you even been there?"

"Yes." Jessica nodded. "I have. There are no traps in the Hall of Records. I told you before, he'll be fine."

Kaiba turned and kept walking.

"I think I'm starting to understand why you're called an asshole now."

That stopped him in his tracks a second time. "Excuse me?"

"I mean, not only do you hate everyone but Mokuba, but you're a complete arrogant jackass about everything you do. You even treat your friends like crap."

"I don't have any friends."

"Yeah, you do. Yuugi and the others, whether you believe it or not, are your friends. Can you honestly tell me they've never saved your life?"

"That doesn't make them associated with—"

"It does. And that's where you screw up. This isn't about you. Nor is it about me, or your friends. Or your brother. This is about Noah's plan. I've heard him tell you. He wants to enslave and digitize the minds of every being on earth. And he's after KaibaCorp, so I know your company has something to do with it, or you wouldn't be here. This is about the fate of the world, not you. Seto, get a grip. Everything doesn't revolve around you, so you need to shut up and pay attention to what's going on around you."

"Don't you talk to me like that!"

"I got you here to fight Noah in the first place; I'll talk to you any way I please. You can't stop me." Jessica shook her head. "I thought you were different, but you ended up being the same as Gozaboro." She walked past Kaiba, and the CEO grabbed her wrist.

"Don't you dare compare me to that snake!"

"Then don't slither and hiss like one" Jessica snapped. "Let go of my hand."

"No. Not until you listen to me. I've heard your part. Do you know what it's like to grow up in an orphanage, protecting the only person that matters? How dare you accuse me of being self-possessed? Mokuba is the only family I have; you have no business telling me to put my thoughts of him to the side! He is and always will be at the top of my priority list."

"Apparently not. I doubt that you're here to defeat Noah for your brother Admit it, Kaiba, you messed up. Back there, if you ad really cared about your brother, you would've accompanied him to the Hall of Records instead of trying to force him to do things your way. He's your brother, Seto, not some mindless robot there to do your bidding, nor is he an employee paid to take crap off you. You need to treat Mokuba like a person. That's why he's not here, because of the consequences of _your_ actions. Not mine. Not his. Not Yuugi's or anyone else's. Yours."

_Is it…really my fault?_ Kaiba asked himself, looking at Jessica with wide eyes. _Am I really pushing Mokuba away from me? All these occurrences…Duelist Kingdom, now this…are they my own doing? Have_ I_ caused all of the misfortune in the Kaiba family?_

He unconsciously let go of Jessica's wrist. She looked at him and said, her eyes downcast, "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't have to say all of that—"

"You did." Kaiba interrupted, his voice sounding broken."You-you're right. Lets…just go." He began to walk, not even paying attention to his surroundings.

I'm surprised Mokuba doesn't hate me… 

Jessica followed him in solemn silence.

"Two doors down, she said," Mokuba commented as he stood in front of the door that supposedly led to the Hall of Records.

_Maybe Seto was right,_ he thought as he reached out a hand, gripping the doorknob. _Maybe…I shouldn't go in. What if something somehow…goes wrong? Noah might detect me from the security system…_

He shook his head. If he kept doubting himself, he'd never find out anything about Noah's motivation for taking KaibaCorp.

His hand trembled slightly as he turned the doorknob. He took a breath and pulled the door open. The room beyond seemed to be black.

_The power's out…_Mokuba held his orb up inside of the room. It made no difference. The light glowed against the darkness, but made no indentation on the shadows.

Mokuba squinted. That wasn't right. He stepped in, the darkness seducing his mind into curiosity. The door shut behind him, and the young Kaiba jumped. He looked around, reaching for the knob, and sighed when felt it.

Suddenly, small lights, identical to stars in the little one's eyes, began to float up from the abyss below.

_What…is this?_ Mokuba thought.

The lights continued to rise around him, all going in the same direction, but to what, Mokuba couldn't tell. The darkness was everywhere, and even the small lights, with all their number, revealed nothing.

Is this really the Hall of Records? 

Then, a golden light seemed to come out of nowhere, floating down again the veil of shimmering white around him.

What if Jessica was wrong?…what if I've stumbled onto something else? 

The golden light continued floating down, descending until it rested in front of Mokuba's face. The golden light began to pulsate, reminding the young Kaiba of a beating golden heart. The beating began softly, slowly and almost so silently that the brunette didn't notice. But the pulsating began to quicken, and Mokuba stepped back as the beating intensified. Would it explode? Mokuba reached desperately for the doorknob behind him. He grasped it, turned it, and –

It was locked.

Yami was in deep thought. He and the others had begun walking down the hall that they were trapped in.

"Jessica said to just keep walking, and we'll get to the Transportation Room," Otogi said, "So lets go. Since the system's rebooting, the room's power system might be up."

/Do you think Kaiba, Jessica, and Mokuba are alright/ Yuugi asked him.

Jessica and Kaiba I know will be fine,Yami responded. He could never forget the way Kaiba glared at him when Jessica glanced at him, holding their gaze longer than necessary. There was jealousy in the older Kaiba's eyes; there was no mistaking it.

Jessica and Kaiba would get along well. Very well.

/What about Mokuba? He's so young…/

Not as innocent as he seems, though, Yuugi,Yami commented. He used the walls to stay near the Hall of Records. He's very intelligent.

/We might've needed him to work the computers in the Transportation Room, if anything./

Yami's mind drifted to Jessica. Yami knew she was not what she seemed…

What is she hiding?Yami thought.

/Who? Jessica/ Yuugi inquired.

…yes. Part of me says to trust her, and another believes that she's hiding something…she _must_ somehow be connected to the millennium items, something other than Pegasus. It takes a lifetime to learn Egyptian, and she only worked with Pegasus for so long…

/So, you don't trust her? We shouldn't/

…I am not sure.

"Hey, you guys!" Jounouchi said. "I think this is it!"

Yami looked up to find himself in front of two large, oak double doors.

The Transportation Room.

* * *

I can tell you all right now: I'm gonna need a pick-me-up in order to do the next chapter. I have entered a phase when my chapters are becoming harder to write, even, perhaps, BORING! I know you guys are waiting for the Jessica/Kaiba-ness, but it's coming soon... 

Now I have to get to writing the next chap! Sorry for keeping you waiting for so long!

"I will return, for I am the darkness..."


	8. Discovery pt 2

Virtual Reality 

**Chapter 8: **Discovery pt. 2

Mokuba laughed in relief. He'd thought the golden light would explode or something.

Instead, it had turned into a manila folder—or the image of one, anyway.

Mokuba couldn't help but laugh. It helped to ease away some of the surprise.

"COMMENCING FILE CHECK," a computerized voice that seemed to come from the folder said. "FILE RECOVERY ONLINE."

A keyboard seemed to float up from the darkness below, stopping itself in front of Mokuba's wrists.

"Cool," he murmured. In the younger Kaiba's mind, a file recovery check meant that he would have access to every single piece of information that Noah had.

Mokuba smiled, and began typing on the keyboard.

And suddenly, images began to flash before his eyes, and he realized that typing commands would do nothing while the check was going through, so hejust sat back and watched the images, read parts of files. Gozaboro's name appeared several times. Noah possessed a large collection of documents from the old man's reign at KaibaCorp.

_What would Noah want with all of these?_

That question lingered in the air until Mokuba came upon a certain blueprint, whose pictures shoed the build of Noah's virtual image. It had been scanned, and while looking at the page for any of Noah's weaknesses, Mokuba read a shocking mote at the bottom.

'With this, my mind will forever live, and one day, I will once again rule over KaibaCorp!

_G.K'_

And boy, did Mokuba recognize those initials! He'd seen them his entire life, and he still saw some of it when Seto dealt with Gozaboro's old customers.

Those were the old man's initials.

"Dammit!" Otogi said for about the fifth time in fifteen minutes. "The panel's blocked. I don't know what the password is!"

"I'm sure we can figure out something," Anzu said.

"I'm scared, big brother," Shizuka said. "What if we're trapped here forever?"

"Don't worry," Jounouchi said. "We'll find a way outta dis place."

"For the password," Yami said, "Try…some variations of the word KaibaCorp."

After a few seconds time, Otogi said, "Nope." He sighed.

"Then…" Yami said, "Try…Jessica Kaiba."

Otogi looked at him like he was insane. "Why the hell would Jess's name be the password?"

"Just try it, Otogi." Yami said. Deep in his heart, the millennium puzzle tells him it's going to work.

Otogi swore. "how did you know that?" he turned to Yami again. "it worked, you bastard!"

"Yes, that is the question." Yami said quietly. Otogi proceeded setting up the Transportation Room. All around them were mechanical platforms, which yami supposed was going to transport their minds back to their bodies.

Aibou…the spirit called to his hikari.

/yes?…Yami, how did you know/

Because…I knew…that she was keeping something from us. Now I know what nature it is. She must have some connection to Noah, something personal, and Noah must want to get rid of her for that same reason. But the two_ are _connected, although I am not sure if we'll ever find out…

/maybe Mokuba knows? He _is_ in the Hall of Records. He could've found out a connection…/

Perhaps…but there is no way to know.

Soon enough, Otogi accessed the control panel for the mechanical platforms, and turning them on caused a handful of lights on each one to blink into life, letting the crew know that each one, eight of them in total, were operational.

"Otogi…how come that one's light won't come on?" Shizuka pointed to a platform in the back of the room, whose lights hadn't come on with the rest.

Otogi shrugged. "It looks like a prototype, or it might be broken. There are enough platforms for us all, so—"

"What about Jessica?" Yami interjected.

"We'll just use one with her, Yuugi. Don't get so upset about it."

Yami nodded. Then he walked over to Anzu, who hadn't said a thing since they had first arrived. "Are you alright, Anzu?"

She nodded. "I am…fine." She smiled slightly. "If I can do _anything _to help later, let me know." And she said nothing else.

But she thought, _Fools! Can't you even recognize when your own friend is possessed?…But I find all this information interesting…what does this 'Jessica' character know of the ancient scriptures? Could she possibly know of the future to come? Is _that_ why she's worked so hard to save the Pharaoh and his High Priest?_

"Seto." Jessica said, pulling on the CEO's sleeve. "You cannot face Noah this emotionally unstable. He'll use it against you. You have to come to grips with yourself!"

"Maybe I deserve it, then," Kaiba said.

"No, Seto, you don't. If you don't help me get Noah, then everyone'll be trapped here, including Mokuba. Is that what you want? And you can't keep Yuugi here either, because—"

"Yeah, you believe in all that mumbo-jumbo too. Yuugi had to use these powers to save the world, blah, blah. I don't care for hearing that again, thank you."

"Well, if you don't believe it yet, then you need to hear it again. Seto, you have a chance to help the world by destroying Noah—"

"I don't care about the world," Kaiba snapped. "The world can kiss my ass. I only care about Mokuba; that's just the way it is."

Jessica looked genuinely hurt for a second. "Seto, I don't' believe that. Yes, the world has done you wrong, but what about those other people like you? You don't care about them, either? Look at me! Gozaboro treated me like shit, but I got past it. Imagine if I were still bitter; I wouldn't have helped you at all. You'd still be wandering around in the dark, and Mokuba would be—"

"—dead. I know," Seto said. "I get it. You helped me, so I shouldn't eb such a jerk. And I do appreciate your help and all—"

Jessica beamed. "Really?"

Instead of answering that, Seto said, "I personally can't see why Gozaboro wouldn't let you run KaibaCorp. I must find out how you shut down Noah's computer system…"

"I gave him a virus," Jessica said simply, "and I attached it to his systems check files. When he performed the last systems check—"

"He spread the virus to his own system. Creative." Seto finished.

"Except for the Hall of Records, he's lost all information. That's shy his security systems went to default settings. They're the only ones he has left."

"Why was the Hall of Records immune?"

"Because I made it that way."

"Why?"

"There is something in the Hall of Records…that I must retrieve…"

"Which is?"

Jessica turned away from him, so he didn't push any farther.

"Fine, keep your secrets." Seto huffed.

"It's not a secret! I just…don't want to discuss it. Why do you care, anyway?"

Seto, suddenly feeling cocky, leaned close to her as if to whisper a secret, and said the first thing that came to mind. "Because you're cute," eh said, and began to walk away. That was the first time he had ever said anything without thinking, and now, he knew why he had never done it before.

Jessica blushed, slightly, though Kaiba never saw it, and she quickened her pace to keep up with him. "Wait, where did _that_ come from? Was that I complement from Seto Kaiba?"

"It was whatever you want it to be. And where do you think it came from?" Kaiba didn't slow down, or turn to look at her; he couldn't even if he had wanted to.

"Wait, Seto, you didn't answer—" Jessica grabbed him by the wrist and turned him around. "—my question."

"I think you're cute; is that so bad?"

"Yes!" Jessica said.

"Fine, then, it's that bad. Deal. I think you're cute." He smiled. Torturing the all-knowing Jessica? He had to jump at the opportunity. Besides, she was cute, and highly intelligent—just his type.

_Wait,_ Kaiba thought. _I have a type?_

Seto shook his head. That was exactly why he never bothered with relationships; everything was too confusing.

"Seto, stop joking around."

"I wasn't joking," Seto said with a smile; the confused look on Jessica's face (that happened to mirror his own feelings) was priceless. "I like you."

"Stop lying to yourself." Jessica said.

"I'm not. I like you."

Jessica smiled. "Prove it."

"What do you mean, prove it?"

"Prove it."

"What—"

"Kiss me."

"No."

"Then you're lying, Kaiba."

The truth was, Seto wanted to stay as far away from feeling emotion as possible. And Jessica was beautiful, the hallway was slightly dim, and if he looked at her, for even a second, he knew that he wouldn't be the same.

He had no time for girls. He had a corporation to run.

_Well,_ a voice in his head said, _When you get out…Jessica could work for you at KaibaCorp. She's smart enough…_

The idea had merit.

"I'll kiss you if you come to work for KaibaCorp when this is all done." He said.

Jessica frowned. "I—" she paused. "I can't work for you at KaibaCorp."

"Oh, come on; Pegasus doesn't pay you that much."

"It's not…that. I just can't."

_Well, I don't blame her,_ he thought._ The old man _did_ kick her out…_

Nothing was said between for a while, and besides the fact that Kaiba wasn't looking at Jessica, the CEO still found that his heart was fluttering in his chest.

"Oh, fuck this," Kaiba said, more to his developing feelings than Jessica, but all the same, he grabbed her, pushing his lips to hers hesitantly, and he felt the fluttering subdue and inflate all at the same time.

When he pulled away from her, Jessica laughed, a rich sound that still retained her sophistication.

"Seto…when you're nervous…your kiss has a lot to be desired."

* * *

Yay! Chapter Eight Is A Success! This is the fastest update in Darkdragonwriter history!

I was wondering, though. Did you think that the whole Seto/Jessica thing was happening too fast? Some people saidyes, some no, and I want to know what you think!

"I will return, for I am the darkness..."


	9. Meeting Grounds

I know, it's been like a year, but I'm trying to get back on track with this story. I really am. I don't like deleting stories, and I will try my best to salvage this one.**

* * *

**

**Virtual Reality**

**Chapter 9:** Meeting Grounds: Complete with Understanding and Hand Towels pt. 1

"Seto…when you're nervous…your kiss has a lot to be desired."

But yet and still, Jessica didn't move an inch away from him.

In spite of himself, Seto replied, "I'm not nervous."

"'Oh, fuck this'?" Jessica recited. "That sounds like you're nervous to me."

Seto scowled. "Why do you have to ruin everything?"

"I wouldn't be me if I didn't, would I?" Jessica said, and kissed him once more, lightly, and Seto wished it would have lasted more than the second it did. He could feel Jessica's breath on his face, and it took almost everything he had to step away from her.

"You really aren't that good with people, you know that?" Jessica said quietly, and they resumed walking down the hall as if nothing had just happened.

"I'm good enough to be a multi-millionaire."

They rounded a corner, and both stopped walking. There was a large, silver door in front of him, which Seto assumed to be Noah's quarters. Jessica confirmed that speculation with a slight nod.

"This is it," she whispered. "The last level of the game."

Seto chuckled in spite of the situation. "You're comparing us to a game?"

Jessica ignored him. "How do you want to go about doing this?"

"What do mean, 'go about'? All that we have to do is walk in, kick some ass, and leave."

"It won't be that simple."

"Let's go." Seto started forward, pulling Jessica behind him.

(scene shift)

"Wow…so Gozaboro is Noah?" Mokuba said. "This…explains a lot…I have to find a way to get through to Nii-sama." The younger Kaiba looked around, and seeing as no one was there, swore. "Dammit. I knew I should have gone with Nii-sama…is there a way I can get to where he is?"

He search the entire database. Apparently, Gozaboro had been trying to take over KaibaCorp for a long time, constructing a virtual world.

Mokuaba looked at his hands at that point. "So…we're not really here?"

(scene shift)

"So, what the hell are we supposed to do?" Jounouchi said. "Just wait until Seto and Jessica get back."

"That's exactly what we're going to do, Jou," Yami said.

"…I don't wanna. It's boring."

Yami glanced at Anzu. She was being very quiet, and she looked worried; that bothered him to no end. Did she know something that they didn't?

"Anzu…" he called calmly.

Her head shot up immediately. "Yes…Yuugi?"

Yami didn't like that pause, either. "Did Jessica…happen to tell you something about Noah? About anything?"

She shook her head. "No…but I have a killer headache, and…I feel so tired, and I don't really remem—"

A shiver went down her spine as Marik took back over. _I cannot allow you to ruin this for me, girl. They don't know that I'm here. It will stay that way!_

"Anzu?" Yami called again. Something was wrong with Anzu.

"I'm…burnt out, that's all." Anzu smiled weakly. "I can't wait until we get out of here, so I can rest."

"I…know how you feel…" Yami said, and left it at that.

/Aibou/he called.Something is very wrong with Anzu./

/Like what/ his hikari answered. /I didn't notice anything before…/

/I'm noticing it _now_, hikari./

/Okay, okay./ Yuugi conceded his argument. /What's wrong with her/

/I've yet to find out. She says she's exhausted, but…I cannot take her word seriously./

/This is serious. You should watch her. She really could be tired. We've been through a lot…/

/…I will. I will tell you as soon as I notice something else./

(scene shift)

Noah sat at his computers, crying. "No! She deleted everything! EVERYTHING! How did she do this… scanners didn't show her infiltrating my mainframe… How could she do this?" A Pause. "She must be planning something big…she must be…helping that stupid Seto and his friends escape! Damn you, Jessica!"

He typed quickly on his keyboard, and cursed again. "Everything is gone. Everything…my years of hard work, all of it. She'll pay…They'll all pay!"

He heard a squeak, and turned. At the end of the hall was a single, wooden door. It was creaking open.

And there stood Seto and Jessica Kaiba.

* * *

Hi...I know that you guys probably hate me by now...but, here I am... 

To **Hikari**, **Mokuba's** **Guardian**, I truly thank you. You've been with me up until now, even though I don't deserve it. Thanks.

I also want to add that I know that the mental conversations between Yami and Yuugi are confusing, but it's simply because ffnet sucks right now, so I hope you can cope until we get better...

"I will return, for I am the darkness..."


	10. The Last Level

**Virtual Reality**

**Chapter Ten:** The Last Level

Noah was seething as he glared at the door. "You!" he snarled. "What are you doing here?!" he pointed at Seto Kaiba. "How dare you invade my chambers?"

Jessica's face paled with anger. "How dare we?! After you trapped us all here, old man, you dare to speak to me about daring? Noah…" she rolled up her sleeves, and took a step forward, but Kaiba gripped tightly on her shoulder, effectively restraining her.

"I don't know who the hell you think you are," Seto said, "But I never gave you permission to abduct me, or my brother. With the force of KaibaCorp behind me, I swear that I will—"

Noah broke into laughter that was laden with bitter sarcasm. "KaibaCorp? Funny, how you speak as thought it belongs to you!"

"You're in no shape to laugh, Noah," Jessica said, "considering that your hard drive has been wiped clean by my program. Everything you once owned digitally is gone—I saw to it. In here, there is nothing. Outside? Nothing. All of your programs are gone. This place only exists because your little 'chamber of memories' is still here. I suggest you leave while you can!"

Noah smiled wickedly. "…I will!" he shouted, lunging at Seto.

(scene shift)

Mokuba sifted through the battle plans; he had specifically hired members of the Big Five to take them out…so he could steal their bodies. It was crazy.

A new window popped on the invisible screen, suspended in the air.

"'Attention!'" Mokuba read. "'Main CPU booted. All memory lost. Backup memory lost. Secret data backup file lost. Spare memory at eighty percent. Twenty percent memory used by room of remembrance…' I guess that's this room…" Mokuba paused. "If everything is gone, then why does the digital world still exist?"

Typing quickly, Mokuba discovered that a few digital cameras around the world were still functioning.

"Whoa…"

His eyes weren't ready for what he saw. Nothing. There was a huge mist, thick and white, rolling over the lands which he, Seto, Yuugi and the others had just crossed.

It took a moment for Mokuba to realize that the mist wasn't covering the land—the land was disintegrating _into_ the mist.

Camera after camera blacked out as the fog seemed to roll closer and closer. Mokuba shut his eyes in anticipated agony as a wave on the west side of the castle came into contact with it…

We're all gonna…

Moments later, when nothing happened, Mokuba looked back to the screen. There were eight cameras left, each on a high and low point of the castle's wall in every main compass direction.

"We're okay…" Mokuba whispered.

The cameras showed the mist halting at the borders of the castle walls.

"The Sketches! The plans of Noah's scenery for the castle must be in the memory here!" Mokuba said triumphantly. "Show me a full-scale map!"

The database complied, even detailing how many people were in each room, apparently through cameras established by the main design. In the Main Control room, where Noah was supposed to be, were three figures, one visibly recognizable as Seto Kaiba.

"Hang on, brother! I'm on my way!"

(scene shift)

Otogi stepped back and surveyed his handiwork. He had hacked into the Transportation system, with more ease than he had expected from Noah's security.

Each transportation module had been charged up, save the old, rusted one in the back.

"I haven't been able to figure out where their destinations are. There are some more modules listed under a folder called 'reception modules', but when I opened them, they were empty—"

A fizz erupted from the screen before him.

"O-Otogi…"he heard, and he whipped towards the screen.

Mokuba's face came into view. "Are you guys okay?" He was typing quickly on a keyboard that wasn't visible. "I've figured it out! Why we're here!" Mokuba said. "We're not really here at all!"

Yami started. "What do you mean?"

Mokuba frowned. "We're not really here. This world is a digital one. We're just digital manifestations of our minds. That's why the Big Five and Noah tried to take us out—so that they would use those machines," Mokuba pointed to the modules behind them, "to go to the real world with our bodies and rule KaibaCorp!"

Marik, consciousness still inside Anzu's, thought, _Interesting…_

Everyone, including Anzu, gasped aloud.

"So you mean that our bodies are just sittin' somewhere?!" Jounouchi burst. "Let's get outta here, now!"

"It gets worse. Jessica wiped all memory from the system, and the digital world we're in is deteriorating by the second. Everything besides this castle is already gone.

"What?!"

"I found the architectural plans for this building in the Chamber of Memories. That's why they're still standing. I need to get where you are. Now. When I do, I can use the password to hack back into the Chamber of Memories from there, and we can try to reach Seto and Jessica. They're with Noah right now…" he paused. "I'm creating a security system right now, through this room. When I finish, which should be in a few moments—I only need to enlist a command for the steel walls—then I will lift them and you will have to unlock the doors for me, alright? You can do it from the inside. I will hopefully see you shortly. Be ready."

(scene shift)

Jessica shoved Seto out of the way. "Seto, Run! He's trying to take over your consciousness!"

Noah hit the ground, the current CEO of KaibaCorp only a few inches from where he had aimed.

Seto shot Jessica a look that said that he was crazy.

"He's after my mind? What is wrong with you people!?"

"I'm not lying, Seto; why would I do this to you if it wasn't true?"

Noah was rising, looking at Seto as though he were targeting him.

"Duel me for it!" Noah spat. "Duel me for KaibaCorp, if you want to take it from me!"

"If never belonged to you," Seto retorted automatically, with a smile that told Jessica that he was going to accept the deal.

"Don't do it! I won't let you!" Jessica said. "You're underestimating him!" she reached into her pocket and pulled a Duel Monsters deck.

Pulling the top card, she knew what it was, and why she had put it there. The time to tell everyone who Noah was had come. She was tired of him playing games with her. She was tired, moreover, with him playing games with Seto.

"Swords of Revealing Light!"

As the card came into play, even without Seto's devices, it seemed as though time had stopped, and Noah was there, no longer moving, a frozen statue on the floor.

Seto sank to his knees as the blinding light cleared, and he realized who it was, lying there on the cold floor of the room.

(scene shift)

"I got it!" Yuugi said, his voice deep and melodious. Anzu snickered in his direction, completely out of character, but no one noticed; they were too happy to see Mokuba, safe and sound. The group knew that if Mokuba hadn't been, they would have never heard the end of it from Seto Kaiba.

Mokuba moved quickly, immediately standing in Otogi's previous place in front of the computer and beginning to type with speed faster than anyone in the room had seen.

"What the hell do you do for a living?" Otogi asked. "I can't even type that quickly."

Without halting, Mokuba said, "Hello? Seto Kaiba is my big brother…?"

"Right."

Something flickered onto the screen, and Mokuba began to explain. "The only things left in this world are us and this castle. The only reason why this castle is still standing is because Noah put the information about the castle in the Chamber of Memories. I don't know how he got them, but apparently everything in this world was designed by Gozaboro Kaiba—my father. I don't know how Noah quite got these plans from him, but that means that at the least, he _is_ connected with KaibaCorp in some way. Maybe he was working for my father on a project—"

Mokuba stopped, the screen now flashing the same contents as the Chamber of Memories.

Otogi said cautiously. "I think we're figuring out something here. The password to the modules folder is Jessica's name. So they both have something to do with KaibaCorp, apparently, if Jessica's connected to Mokuba."

"She did say that she was used as a prototype for this world…" Yuugi said, his voice still deep. "If we're only here mentally, then she's been trapped here…"

"That's not good," Mokuba said. He stopped typing and turned to face the entire group. "Okay. I've hacked the system. Is there anything else you've all found out while you were trying to open the modules? Are there enough for all of us?"

"Including Seto," Otogi said, "Yes. There are enough for all of us."

"Even Jessica?"

Otogi looked thoughtful. "…no. I didn't count her."

"How could not count her? She's been so nice to us, and generous!"

"…there aren't…well, there's the old one in the back; I geared it up to work but I can't tell if it will."

"I'm sure it will. KaibaCorp technology is built to last. That must be the first one. The only question is as to whether or not it brought Noah or Jessica…we're still one short. How did Noah get here…?" Mokuba shook his head—they weren't going to find the answer to that question any time soon. Turning back to the computer, he began typing again, this time checking the status of the older module. "…yes, Otogi, it works. Jessica can come back with us…"

Mokuba began typing in commands to see the cameras in Noah's room. "We have to know what's going—oh my god…"

As the screen flared up under the guidance of Mokuba's skilled fingers, his knuckles went white at what he saw. The gasps that he barely heard—everyone except Anzu, though he couldn't see—were support to how he felt.

He had zoomed in the camera, as the room was very dark. And clearly, Jessica and Seto were there—Seto on his knees—looking at bright swords that were suspended in the air.

"Swords of Revealing Light…" Yuugi said, his voice back to normal. But Mokuba didn't notice.

//Can you believe this…?// Yami asked his hikari mentally, not even fighting the switch that had taken place between them.

/…what…what…how did this happen?/ Yuugi answered trying to rationalize his logic. /…he's supposed…to be…dead…/

//He's not, Yuugi.//

Mokuba almost fainted, but Otogi was the first one to recover enough to say a word. Actually, two. Two words that brought reality crashing down on both Mokuba and Seto, though the elder couldn't even hear...

"Gozaboro…Kaiba…?"

(scene shift)

"Now you know who he really is…" Jessica said, pointing at the man lying under the manifestation of her Duel Monsters card. "He's the old CEO of KaibaCorp. He's been lying to you. He's…he's trying to kill you and take over KaibaCorp in your place…" she was breathing hard, even though she hadn't done anything to overexert herself; the secrets that Gozaboro had been hiding as Noah had been heavy, and she was happy to lift them off of herself. She couldn't deal with them anymore. She had been planning to expose Noah ever since he'd had the audacity to bring Seto Kaiba into the world that he had created and trapped her in. He deserved it.

Seto quickly composed himself, pushing up from the ground and staring with Gozaboro with a look of rage. He directed this gaze then at Jessica. "What technology is this? Gozaboro is dead. He committed suicide after I bought this company from him. After I outsmarted him. He threw himself out of the KaibaCorp office window. I had all of his belongings disposed of. How does this world exist? How does he exist?"

Jessica shifted. She looked at Gozaboro, as though hoping that he would move so that he could answer the question. She said hesitantly, "…when he committed suicide—"

"How do you know that? I made sure to keep it a secret. No one knows how he died—"

"Do you want the answer to your question or not, Seto? When he committed suicide, he had planned it. Of course, the 'great' Gozaboro would never do something so stupid. Most people had been expecting him to win the company back from you in any case. And he had expected to as well. This world is one Gozaboro's layouts for a Virtual Reality program designed to help soldiers train for combat. Every day of his life after he's completed this world, he has uploaded and configured his own mind to this place. The form that he's taken this whole time has been a ruse, to make you suspect that there's something more to this island than it seems. To make it look like he's involved more than himself and you—not counting your friends—"

"None of them are my friends. Mokuba is the only one here who means something to me."

"Ouch. That hurt. I thought I was pretty good, too. You know, saving you from the imminent disintegration of this world and everything…"

"…finish the story. Why are you here?"

"…because I was the test subject that he used when this place was first made. He needed to make sure that it would work to bring others here as well. He chose me."

"Why?"

"I used to work for him at KaibaCorp. You know that."

"You must have been a damn good worker, Jessica." Despite his earlier comment, Seto allowed himself a semblance of a smile.

"…you can say that. Gozaboro became obsessed with Duel Monsters in recent times, because he wanted to beat you at your own game. When he died, the fragments of his mind—which is most of it, mind you—that he processed here are still working, and thanks to his program's connection with KaibaCorp technology, he's been watching you for years, waiting for you to confess to the world what really killed him so that you would lose the company. Of course, you're not that stupid, so he took the situation into his own hands to make you 'pay', as he would put it. But I've suffered here for too long…and I can't let this happen to you, Seto…"

Gozaboro, lying there on the floor, began to shift, the sparkling swords above him beginning to fade.

Seto's head immediately turned to the old man, and he snickered.

"You just don't know how to lose, do you, Gozaboro?"

The swords hadn't faded yet, so there was no way for Gozaboro to answer him. He was still struggling to rise.

Jessica looked torn, like there was s decision to make. Seto was almost worried for her; what was she thinking about?

"Seto…I think you should leave while you can…" she looked at the man on the floor. "Please. I can more than hold off Gozaboro in this state. He's been exposed. He's got nothing to lose now…he'll do anything. And you need to go home and keep KaibaCorp running and efficient. I know you can do it. You've done it well so far…"

Seto grabbed her wrist. "We're not leaving you. Gozaboro is shameless, dragging an employee into a military project. You disgust me," he said.

Jessica jerked back, the swords surrounding them almost gone. "Please go, Seto. The battle with Gozaboro is mine, not yours. He trapped_ me_ here. I just wanted you to know the truth before you left…"

"I am not leaving without you. Do you know how hard it is to find a competent worker like you?"

The swords faded completely; Gozaboro stood, laughing softly as he realized that both Seto and Jessica were still standing there.

"As long as you're still here…" he said, his voice deep and hoarse. "…I will have your body!" he lunged again, desperately.

Jessica thought quickly, looking through her cards even as Gozaboro had been speaking. "Mirror Force!" she said, holding up the card, and a small shield formed around both her and Seto. "There's only so much longer that I can do this!" she said, as Gozaboro tried to reach through the shield and failed. "There are only so many defensive cards in this deck, and I don't know enough about Duel Monsters to fight Gozaboro and win. You have to go, _now,_ while you still can. I'm sure your friends have hacked the system by now; your brother is probably with them. If he rewrote the emergency system after I wiped everything clean like I thought he would, then he should be able to open the passages freely. We have to go, _now_. All technology on this island is gone; he can't watch anyone but himself if we leave him here. He'll be alone. There will be nothing for him to do but rot here in this formatted hell until he goes insane. Even if he does rewrite all of the programs, I know that when you wake up in his lab you'll shut it down. He can't type fast enough to encrypt anything to keep him alive. You NEED to go. Now, before my shield runs its course…"

Seto looked at Gozaboro, and Jessica could see it in his eyes that he wanted to desperately duel his father, to let the former CEO know that he was still a _former_ CEO, and that he would never be able to reverse that process. "I said, go! What do I have to do? Run out there and let him take _my_ body? I will, if that is what it takes for you to leave this place right this instant…" She reached out a hand as though to breach the shield and make good on her threat, but Kaiba's arm shot out twice as quickly, restraining her.

"You promised to work for me, remember?"

* * *

I know it took me forever to actually get to this point with this story; it was on hiatus for a while, but since I had come so far with it already I knew I couldn't just let it go...I have to finish it. This was the first idea for a longterm multi-chapter story that I ever concieved, and I think that the ground plot was ingenious, though I'm sure that readers can see the difference between how I used to write and how this chapter was written...

I apologize to those who I have this story on their Author Alert list and forgot about this story completely until they got the alert email, because I know that some of you are out there. Thank you for sticking with me so far, and I assure that there are only one or two chapters left, and then you don't have to be bothered with my fickle sense of creativity ever again...sorry, again, for whatever I may have put you through, and I hope that you do enjoy it...

"I will return, for I am the darkness..."


	11. Homeward Bound

**Virtual Reality**

**Chapter Eleven:** Homeward Bound

"You promised to work for me, remember?" he said, his face and voice as stern as usual. Jessica smiled, and for a moment and Kaiba wondered why. He hadn't said anything out of the ordinary; who wanted to lose an ingenious, knowledgeable worker?

But she still smiled, and he said gruffly, "Let's go, then…"

It looked like Gozaboro wasn't going to let them. He was still wailing, still going after them despite the shield that covered them.

Looking at his own deck, he decided to draw the first card and see what he would get. Perhaps something that would keep his "father" busy for a while. He hastily activated his duel disk, and drew a card; he smirked. "Hmph. Just as I thought. Lajinn, Mystical Genie of the Lamp!" he said, and the green silhouette flew from his card, laughing and folding its arms in typically form.

Knowing that such a monster would keep his father busy for a while, he turned on his heel, Jessica's arm still clenched in his hand. He didn't trust her; she had tried to make him leave her twice, and her sacrificial nature was sure to flare up again before this was over. On the other hand, Gozaboro was right there, standing right before him, ready for the revenge that Seto had always been deprived of since his discovery of his forced suicide. The possibility of a duel with his father figure clawed at him, attempting to drag him back to the battle ground.

Suddenly, he heard Gozaboro laughing. "You can't stop me that easily! Berserk Gorilla! Neither of you will get away that easily!!"

A flash of light, and a large primate began to rampage around the room, destroying everything in its path seemingly without direction. It screamed, an awful sound, and as it did so fire spouted forth from its mouth. Turning about promptly, its eyes locked on La Jinn. Even the great Seto Kaiba knew what was going to happen from there.

(scene shift)

"Let's go! Hurry, Anzu!" Yuugi shouted behind him as they ran through the labyrinth that was the castle. They had broken up into two groups: Otogi, Anzu as well as himself had gone to retrieve Seto and Jessica. Jounouchi and Honda had gone to get Mokuba. They would both meet up with each other back in the Room of Transportation. The modules were all ready to leave and they would do so by simply typing in Jessica's name—the password—and initiating the process.

/I don't know what you want me to make of all of this, Yuugi/ Yami said to Yuugi internally. /There are too many questions. She hasn't done anything to harm us, but Jessica's real identity is still a mystery. We don't have enough questions answered. I feel like we're moving blindly./

/We _are_ moving blindly/ Yuugi replied. /It's been that way since we wound up here. When we get back, we can ask Jessica all of the questions that we want. Do _you_ want to try to ask her while Gozaboro is trying to kill us? I don't think so./

When they reached the Main Control Room, the protective metal door had already opened. "Kaiba!" Yami yelled, activating his duel disk and drawing from his deck.

/Heart of the Cards…/ Yami called out, and placed the card on the first slot on the disk.

"Summoned Skull!" The cry ripped from Yuugi's lips and resonated in his mind at the same time. The heart of the cards had never failed him.

Seto and Jessica were standing in the middle of room, staring at Gozaboro and his rampaging monster as it made a course for them. Seto's head turned as he heard his name being called, and Jessica ran, pulling Kaiba toward the door along with him.

"You will NOT get away from me!" Gozaboro shouted, gritting his teeth in anguish.

(scene shift)

Mokuba ran out into the hall to meet Jounouchi and Honda. "Where's Seto?" was his first question. "He's not with you?"

"No, kid, we gotta go back to th' room and wait!" Jounouchi yelled. There was a large crash, and it seemed that even if it digital, the whole foundation of the castle had been rocked.

Mokuba lunged for the corridor that he knew led to the control room.

"No, don't you dare!" Honda said, grabbing Mokuba by the scruff of his shirt and pulling him back. "Look, we're sticking to the plan this time. What happens if you go back there and get into trouble. You'll make it harder for us to escape!"

It felt like it had been forever since he had seen his brother, after finding out all of this stuff about Gozaboro. He wanted to make sure Seto was safe. He had done too much for him; he couldn't lose him now…

But in the end, they were right. Mokuba had seen what was going on, and the fact that Yuugi wasn't here with Jounouchi and Honda meant that he was helping his brother.

"Fine. Come on," he said grudgingly.

(scene shift)

The Gorilla turned, fire brushing the reaches of the room and setting the walls ablaze with its fire. Seto was surprised to see Yuugi there, at the door that was somehow now miraculously open. Smiling to himself, he knew that Mokuba must have had a hand in this.

"Summoned Skull!" Yuugi yelled in that chauvinistic manner that was not quite like him. "Lightning Strike!" In an obedient manner the monster before them attacked viciously, generating orbs of electricity in its palms and throwing them with precision at Gozaboro's Gorilla.

But Seto only saw all of this in passing; Jessica had been pulling on him from the moment that the door had opened, and she would have pulled him out into the hall had it not been for his sheer force of will. As they reached Yuugi's location at the door, he asked sternly, "Where is Mokuba?"

Yuugi smirked. "Waiting in the Room of Transportation. Go, if you'd like."

"Don't you dare leave!" Gozaboro shouted, clutching his mid-section as though he was in pain. He sunk to his knees, the attack from Yuugi's monster clearly showing damage. He doubled over, drawing another card from his deck. "Jessica, how dare you leave your employer? Our job is not yet done!" He reached out with his free hand.

For the first time in the last few minutes, Jessica let go of Seto's arm, stepping forward to confront her captor and leaving an absence of feeling where she had clasped the CEO's arm.

"I am no longer a part of this job. I stopped being your employee eons ago. You took my future from me, Gozaboro!"

Yuugi didn't interrupt, either, simply staring at Jessica for the duration of her short speech.

"You took everything from me! And I got nothing for you. You're nothing but a lying, cheating son of a bitch! You told me I was your most promising protégé, and you used me to do your dirty work! And for what? For a company that _sells equipment for a children's card game?_"

At that point, Seto reached out to pull her back. She had stopped him from dueling. Now he would stop her from doing this. No doubt she had all sorts of things to get off of her chest, being captured here for such a long time, but they didn't have time to be caught up in Gozaboro. They had to get out, now. The Summoned Skull was a powerful card, but considering how the duels with the Big Five had gone, Gozaboro had some tricks up his sleeve. And there was only a short matter of time before it was put into place.

"…We should go. Now." Said a small voice from behind Seto. It was Anzu, with the most serious look upon her face that he had ever seen. "This place is a wasteland. And this is a waste of time."

Seto sighed. What _was_ it with everyone? Was it 'act out of character' day?

Anzu's statement opened up the path for Otogi, who was fingering his pocket, as though he wanted to summon a monster, too.

"Don't," Seto said, pulling Jessica towards the door.

The crackle of electricity started up again, as the Summoned Skull prepared to attack Gozaboro directly.

"I would expect this insolence from Seto," Gozaboro said, "but Jessica, please."

Jessica, hate crossing every feature of her face, took a deep breath, shook Seto's hand away from her arm, and turned away, toward the door. Otogi and Anzu crossed the threshold into the hallway. Yuugi was now staring at Gozaboro, and Seto's fists clenched to match his jaw. This was what he hated the most. Cowards who asked for mercy. He hated them most of all.

"This is what you deserve, Gozaboro," Jessica said coldly. Only Seto could see the tears gathering in her eyes while she spoke, taking slow steps toward the door.

"WAIT!" Gozaboro cried. "Jessica, you would leave your own father to die?"

* * *

Ooh, another cliff-hanger. I'm sorry that this update took so long again. I've fallen out of touch with my inspiration for this story. But I've put too much work into it not to finish it, and my basic outline is still stuck in my mind. I know exactly how the rest of the story is going to go. I think that this story is excellent practice for me to finish a story that doesn't like me XD

Anyway, thank you to all of the fans that have stuck with me this far, if you're still with me at this point. If the story's still up on my profile, I'll never give up on finishing it…even if it takes…years…"

"I will return, for I am the darkness…"


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